London: Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs appears to have been wrongly sent off instead of team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain during Saturday's Premier League match at Chelsea.
Oxlade-Chamberlain blatantly handled in the penalty area in the 15th minute, deciding to make a diving save to tip away Eden Hazard's shot when Arsenal was 2-0 down. But Oxlade-Chamberlain escaped any sanction and referee Andre Marriner sent off Kieran Gibbs for no obvious reason.
Oxlade-Chamberlain was seen saying to Marriner: "It was me." Technology is only used in the Premier League to rule on disputed goals. Eden Hazard scored from the penalty spot to give Chelsea a 3-0 lead. European soccer's governing body quickly used the apparent case of mistaken identity by Marriner to argue that the Premier League should adopt its five-official system. An extra official is placed behind each goal in Champions League and Europa League matches after UEFA President Michel Platini rejected the use of technology.
"With an additional assistant referee on the end line, referee would not have got that sending off wrong. Technology is not the answer," Platini's head of media, Pedro Pinto, wrote on Twitter. "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."
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