The biggest refereeing blunder of the season

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 22 Maret 2014 | 22.54

Arsenal's English defender Kieran Gibbs reacts after he was mistakenly sent off by referee Andre Marriner. AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK Source: AFP

AS A rule, we try to avoid quoting Delta Goodrem in the sport section. But these are special circumstances.

There has been "a terrible case of mistaken identity" in the English Premier League, you see. A referee has sent off the wrong player in what can only be described as the worst stuff up from officialdom since our Socceroos were robbed by a dive at the 2006 World Cup.

Arsenal was already trailing 2-0 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge when gun midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain decided to try his hand, so to speak, at goalkeeping. Finding himself on the goal line with a searing shot incoming, Oxlade-Chamberlain leapt to his left at full stretch and parried the ball away.

Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard appeals successfully for a penalty after Arsenal's English midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (unseen) handled the ball. AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK Source: AFP

It was an impressive save. Really. Peter Schmeichel would have been proud. But it was also a blatant, deliberate handball, and a send off was inevitable.

That's where referee Andre Marriner comes in. Marriner correctly called for a penalty, and he correctly extracted a red card from his pocket. But he showed it to the wrong player. Arsenal's left fullback Kieran Gibbs, who was of course completely innocent, had to leave the field.

To his credit, Oxlade-Chamberlain did protest his guilt to the referee. The TV broadcast showed him mouthing the words "It was me". But Marriner didn't listen.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Arsenal appeals to Referee Andre Marriner after he mistakenly gave Kieran Gibbs of Arsenal (not pictured) a red card. Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Given the state of the game at the time, with Arsenal in the middle of another gobsmacking capitulation, Gibbs actually may have been happy to leave. And there's no way he will be forced to serve the one game suspension that normally accompanies a red card.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, on the other hand, could escape without any punishment at all for his nefarious handiwork.


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