Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0: Jose Mourinho believes 'It’s time to bring TV evidence into play for referees'

Chelsea manager has sympathy for Andre Marriner after red card error

Jose Mourinho gestures on the sideline during Chelsea's 6-0 demolition of Arsenal (Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho has called for fourth officials to be given television screens in order to prevent incidents such as Kieran Gibbs’s mistaken red card received in Chelsea’s 6-0 win over Arsenal.

In what was a clear case of mistaken identity, the referee, Andre Marriner, dismissed the Arsenal left-back for deliberate handball of Eden Hazard’s 15th-minute shot, despite Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain insisting he had committed the foul.

The Football Association have confirmed that Arsenal can appeal a case of mistaken identity, and the association themselves can submit a claim to ensure the correct player serves the subsequent sanction. Mourinho, however, feels that changes are needed. After the incident, which occurred when Chelsea were 2-0 up, Oxlade-Chamberlain could clearly be seen telling Marriner: “Hey ref, it was me”. The official ignored his protests and dismissed Gibbs.

Mourinho insists that would not have happened had the fourth official, Anthony Taylor been allowed to offer guidance with the help of technology. “The sending-off is a big ammunition for the people like me who thinks one little screen in front of the fourth official is a big help against these kind of mistakes,” the Chelsea manager said. “The important thing is it is a penalty, there is one red card. After that, it would be nice for the referee, and for the players, if a little screen could say Chamberlain and not Gibbs. It’s the kind of mistake no referee wants to make.”

Mourinho’s suggestion is at odds with Uefa’s current view on technology. The governing body clarified their stance immediately after the handball, while the game was still in his progress. Uefa’s president, Michel Platini, has previously rejected the use of technology and his head of media, Pedro Pinto, said via Twitter that the five-official system used in the Champions’ and Europa Leagues would have prevented such a problem.

“With an additional referee on the end line, [the] referee would not have got that sending-off wrong,” Pinto claimed. “Technology is not the answer. More eye balls are the answer... GLT (goal-line technology) helps with goal-line decisions but 5 officials system gives referee more angles of vision. It’s not one vs the other.”

Arsène Wenger, meanwhile, stated he had not yet witnessed the incident. “I believe it was handball,” the Arsenal manager said. “I don’t know who gave indication to the referee that it was handball but he has certainly not seen it.”