In the 17th minute of Saturday’s Premier League game between Chelsea and Arsenal, Marriner mistakenly sent off Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs for an infraction his teammate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain committed.
Chelsea winger Eden Hazard initially beat Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny with a curling shot, but Oxlade-Chamberlain tipped it wide of the goal with his hand.
Shockingly, Marriner showed Gibbs a red card, despite Oxlade-Chamberlain’s protests that he had committed the hand-ball on the goal line.
An incredulous Gibbs walked off the field, and Hazard dispatched the ensuing penalty kick to make it 3-0. Chelsea continued to batter 10-man Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, and the Blues won the game 6-0.
Marriner hasn’t spoken publicly about his mistake, but England’s Football Association said Arsenal can appeal the red card on the grounds of mistaken identity.
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The Gunners are likely to lodge an appeal, as Gibbs would face a three-game ban if they don’t.
While Gibbs and Oxlade-Chamberlain bear a passing resemblance to each other, that doesn’t excuse Mariner’s gaffe. After all, they wear different numbers.
See the incident below.
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