Nicolas Jackson’s sending off in Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United last weekend remains a huge talking point.
Jackson was shown a yellow card at first for an elbow on Sven Botman, but that was later upgraded to a red after VAR intervention.
It is a blow for Chelsea, who could now finish the season without a recognised striker. While Marc Guiu is close to returning from injury, he was absent for the loss at St James’ Park.
Tyrique George could now start up front for Enzo Maresca‘s side, believes former Premier League forward Darren Bent.
Howard Webb explains difference between Nicolas Jackson and Tyrone Mings incidents
Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings was also involved in a similar incident during his side’s 1-0 win against Bournemouth.
However, unlike Jackson, who left Enzo Maresca far from happy following his dismissal, Mings escaped punishment.
According to the PGMOL’s chief operating officer Howard Webb, that was because Mings used his arm to try and protect the space around him, whereas Jackson was only ever looking to make contact with his man.
Discussing Jackson’s challenge on Match Officials Mic’d Up, Webb said: “The important point around Jackson looking at Botman is that it tells us that he’s focusing on Botman’s position. So when then the arm gets thrust into the side of the face of Botman, it’s really difficult to say that’s an accident.
“And with this one, he’s not jumping up towards the ball, he’s jumping into Botman with that leading arm, having known where Botman was because he’s looked at him a couple of times. And then there’s real force because of that dynamic of him moving into Botman with that leading arm and you see Botman’s head go backwards on the contact.
“So serious foul play needs excessive force or brutality, We think that exists in this situation, a dangerous position for Botman to be in. And therefore we think the red card is the right outcome and a good rectification of the incorrectly awarded yellow card.”
On Mings, Webb said: “I suspected that comparisons will be made because in this situation there’s an arm making contact with the head like we saw in the previous one.
“In this one, Alex Scott from Bournemouth moves in from behind Mings. Mings has got possession of the ball and he’s aware that there’s somebody behind him and he steps across the arm comes up. We think this is an action that’s more akin to protecting space as opposed to looking at the player and then throwing an arm towards the player.
“When you watch this at full speed, the arm comes up at full speed but it doesn’t actually really get thrust back towards the player.”
Another former Premier League referee, Mark Clattenburg, agrees with the decision to send Jackson off as well. Still, Webb faces backlash, with many feeling that both incidents were very similar.
What others in the game are saying about Nicolas Jackson’s sending off
Unsurprisingly, some Chelsea fans are not happy that Jackson was sent off when Mings was allowed to stay on the pitch after committing a very similar foul.
However, they are not the only ones who have questioned some of the referee decisions that were made last weekend.
Former Southampton manager Russel Martin has claimed that Mings’ incident was actually much worse than Jackson’s.
Whatever the case, hopefully Jackson can learn from this going forward and refrain from using his arm in such a way. His foul in insolation, there is not much for the Senegal international to complain about.
