- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Photo: Niels Elgaard Larsen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Team logos via ESPN.
Howard Webb has supported the decision not to upgrade Sven Botman's yellow card to red during Aston Villa's 1-0 victory over Newcastle United at St James' Park.
Referee Jarred Gillett issued the caution after Botman caught Nicolas Jackson with his trailing leg while going over the top of the ball, though no stud contact occurred. VAR Stuart Atwell backed the on-field call, and Webb said Gillett's decision would have stood regardless of the card color.
Webb explained that officials are applying a lighter-touch approach this season and do not want the VAR to re-referee the referee's decision. He noted intervention would only have occurred for strong stud contact or a closing of the scissor motion, calling the incident a good example of the referee's call philosophy working.
Jackson disagreed with the outcome, stating post-match that the challenge nearly broke his leg.
Webb also addressed an earlier incident this month when the roles were reversed, with Atwell as referee and Gillett as VAR for Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Tottenham. Webb said Gillett correctly supported Atwell's decisions to book Luke Shaw for shoving Rodrigo Bentancur and send off Bentancur for a headbutt.
Source: ESPN - Tue Oct 20, 2:30 PM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).