“We also have to factor in…”: PGMOL boss Webb explains Dalot yellow card decision, City fans will be fuming

Referee boss Howard Webb has given his verdict on Diogo Dalot’s controversial foul on Jeremy Doku and whether the Manchester United defender should have been shown a red card. Dalot incident United eased to a dominant 2-0 victory over City in what was Michael Carrick’s first game in charge as interim head coach. Carrick, brought in to temporarily replace the sacked Ruben Amorim, outfoxed Pep Guardiola, whose team simply had no answer for United’s fast, intensive and aggressive play. United’s goals were scored in the second half by Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu. The Red Devils currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League standings. In the game’s opening stages, Dalot was booked for a heavy challenge on Doku. Replays appeared to show that Dalot caught Doku on the knee but VAR official Craig Pawson judged that the yellow card was sufficient and on-field referee Anthony Taylor did not need to review it further. After the final whistle, Guardiola was adamant that Dalot should have been given his marching orders, as was City midfielder Bernardo Silva. Carrick said that he didn’t think it was a red card. PGMOL chief Howard Webb appeared on the latest edition of the Match Officials Mic’d Up review show and backed the decisions made by Taylor and Pawson. Webb’s verdict Webb said [as quoted by The Sun], “On the field there’s not a lot of reaction to it. The VAR’s job then is to decide if the on field decision of a yellow card is clearly and obviously wrong.” “A lot of situations sit in the grey zone, where there’s a mix of considerations. This is one of those.” “The point of contact is on the knee, but we also have to factor in speed, force, and intensity. You’ll not see many red cards in the Premier League for serious foul play that don’t involve those things.” He continued, “That foot touches the knee but you can see there’s not a great deal of speed or intensity. That foot touches the knee but you can see there’s not a great deal of speed or intensity.” “So I’m absolutely aligned that once that decision’s taken on the field, we leave it as referee’s call and don’t intervene.” United are next in action on Sunday when they face table leaders Arsenal at the Emirates. featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!