The Premier League said a booking handed to Everton defender Jake O’Brien was not the result of a VAR check.
The Blues right back was handed an early yellow card as part of a baffling sequence in the first half. Referee Darren England brandished the booking while the 23-year-old was preparing to take a throw-in deep in Arsenal territory.
To most inside Goodison Park, the only conclusion was that O’Brien had been punished for time wasting or dissent. But minutes after the incident a message flashed on the big screens in the ground to state VAR had conducted a check to decide whether O’Brien was guilty of an act of violent conduct against Gunners star Ben White.
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The series of events, with O’Brien receiving a yellow card after a pause in the game, led supporters to query whether the booking had been awarded on the advice of the VAR - which is not intended for use in yellow card situations.
The Premier League later confirmed to the ECHO that England’s on-field decision had been to award O’Brien the yellow, so the booking was consistent with the decision he reached on the pitch with his assistant and not dished out retrospectively.
The league clarified on social media: “The referee’s call of a yellow card to O’Brien for the action on White was checked and confirmed by VAR – with this deemed not to be violent conduct.”
