Exclusive: Dubious VAR call on O’Brien foul mars Everton-Arsenal

Ex-Ref Hackett criticizes O’Brien booking decision in Everton-Arsenal match

The Incident
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett exclusively told Football Insider that while Everton defender Jake O’Brien deserved his 18th-minute yellow card for hauling down Ben White, the decision-making process raised concerns. Replays clearly showed O’Brien wrestling the Arsenal full-back to the ground in the penalty area – an incident VAR reviewed but couldn’t intervene on since red card consideration wasn’t required.

The Confusion

• The booking was reportedly issued by referee Darren England on his assistant’s advice

• Premier League Match Centre unusually issued a statement clarifying VAR’s non-involvement

• Hackett criticized England’s positioning but called the assistant’s intervention “operationally correct”

• The Athletic revealed officials consulted VAR despite its limited mandate on yellow-card offenses

Bigger Picture
The 1-1 draw left Arsenal 11 points adrift of Liverpool, while Everton edged closer to Premier League safety. Hackett’s comments highlight growing scrutiny over VAR’s inconsistent Premier League implementation this season.