Angry Howard Webb calls urgent meeting after VAR gaffes and could axe officials

Referees' chief Howard Webb has called an urgent meeting at Stockley Park following a series of glaring VAR gaffes in the Premier League over the weekend.

In one instance, video official Lee Mason failed to put the right lines down when checking an offside in the build-up to Brentford's late equaliser against Arsenal – an equaliser that could have huge significance in the title race.

Similarly, Brighton had a goal chalked off in their draw against Crystal Palace after VAR John Brooks drew the offside line from the wrong defender, while Chelsea were also left aggrieved after they were denied a late penalty against West Ham despite Tomas Soucek blocking a shot with an outstretched arm.

READ MORE: Howard Webb told to sack VAR chief Lee Mason by ex-Prem ref after nightmare weekend

Webb, who was appointed chief refereeing officer of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in August, was furious with the blunders and the Daily Mail reports heads could roll as a result, with Mason and Brooks reportedly in the firing line.

The 2010 World Cup final whistle man has called all Premier League referees, assistants and VAR officials for a compulsory meeting on Tuesday in a bid to avoid further catastrophes.

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The PGMOL released a statement on Sunday "acknowledging significant errors in the VAR process", attributing mistakes to "human error".

The group also reached out personally to both Arsenal and Brighton to apologise for the potentially season-defining gaffes, though they defended their decision not to award Chelsea a penalty by asserting that Soucek's arm was 'breaking his fall' and there was therefore no way he could be penalised.

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