Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett
Match Week 23 Premier League Referee Review
Saturday 18 January Watford 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Stuart Burt
Fourth official: Tim Robinson
VAR: Kevin Friend
Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday
Michael Oliver once again demonstrated why he is our best referee. He was in a good position to award a penalty-kick that did not require any VAR intervention.
There was a demonstration of how technology can help match officials when GOAL-LINE TECHNOLOGY confirmed that the whole of the ball had not crossed the goal line.
Watford continue to move towards safety having gained a point from this game.
Saturday 18 January Arsenal 1-1 Sheffield United
Referee: Mike Dean
Assistants: Ian Hussin, Dan Robathan
Fourth official: Lee Mason
VAR: Martin Atkinson
Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis
Referee Mike Dean was celebrating his 500th game and before the game presented with a Premier League award to celebrate this remarkable achievement.
There was an early intervention by VAR checking on a possible penalty kick award. The VAR said no and in my opinion, got it wrong. It was a foul and Referee Dean should have been advised to go to the monitor himself.
Saturday 18 January Brighton and Hove Albion 1-1 Aston Villa
Referee: Andy Madley
Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Simon Beck
Fourth official: Matthew Donohue
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Assistant VAR: Richard West
Late in the game, Referee Madley correctly blew for a free-kick after a cynical pull-back. He produced a yellow card and then had to deal with a mass confrontation as a result of this.
I expect both teams to be sanctioned by The Football Association for failing to control their players
Saturday 18 January Manchester City 2-2 Crystal Palace
Referee: Graham Scott
Assistants: Neil Davies, Derek Eaton
Fourth official: Jeremy Simpson
VAR: John Brooks
Assistant VAR: Adam Nunn
Crystal Palace were looking for the award of a penalty-kick early in the game. A VAR check correctly confirmed that it wasn’t to be awarded. Manchester City also appealed for a penalty kick in the game and VAR once again confirmed that no penalty would be given.
Somehow, we have to get VAR to speed up this process by intervening when they believe it to be a serious and obvious error by the referee.
Saturday 18 January Norwich City 1-0 Bournemouth
Referee: Paul Tierney
Assistants: Harry Lennard, Marc Perry
Fourth official: Gavin Ward
VAR: Jonathan Moss
Assistant VAR: Gary Beswick
Once again, Tierney demonstrated that he is in top form and establishing himself in our top group of officials.
His first red card required no VAR Bournemouth’s Steve Cook leapt in the air to handle the ball. The red card was a formality.
We then saw how VAR should operate when Norwich’s Godfrey was initially handed a yellow card for a challenge. VAR intervened and we witnessed Premier League history being made when Referee Tierney looked at the monitor and reviewed the challenge.
He then correctly issued a red card. Oh, why PGMOL has it taken you so long to adopt IFAB protocol?!?
Saturday 18 January Southampton 2-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Referee: Darren England
Assistants: Lee Betts, Darren Cann
Fourth official: David Coote
VAR: Craig Pawson
Assistant VAR: Scott Ledger
This was the first Premier League game for Darren England, one that I applaud. He initially said NO to a penalty kick looking through the challenge and not having the view that VAR did have of the incident.
Craig Pawson (VAR at Stockley Park), correctly intervened.
England passed his first test by producing a sound performance and I hope now he will receive another appointment in the next set of fixtures
Saturday 18 January West Ham United 1-1 Everton
Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistants: Simon Long, Eddie Smart
Fourth official: Stephen Martin
VAR: Simon Hooper
Assistant VAR: Mark Scholes
The main talking-point for me was that a West Ham United player deliberately back-headed his opponent off the ball. He was very lucky to escape sanction and I suspect that The Football Association will look at retrospective punishment. I have to say that it was a RED CARD offence
Saturday 18 January Newcastle United 1-0 Chelsea
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Assistants: Daniel Cook, Constantine Hatzidakis
Fourth official: Anthony Taylor
VAR: Kevin Friend
Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday
My only observation on this game was the number of times that this referee got caught up in play. Kavanagh’s movement is too slow at the moment and he needs to do some fitness work to improve his agility and speed off the mark. He has let his standards slip.
Sunday 19 January BUR 2-1 LEI
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Assistants: Gary Beswick, Mark Scholes
Fourth official: Peter Bankes
VAR: David Coote
Assistant VAR: Nick Hopton
Anthony Taylor was in a great position to award a penalty-kick and frankly it did not require a VAR check to confirm that his decision was correct.
It was a very good result for Burnley.
Sunday 19 January Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: Richard West, Gary Beswick
Fourth official: Jonathan Moss
VAR: Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday
Craig Pawson can be very satisfied with his performance.
The goal disallowed for the challenge on the goalkeeper frankly looked harsh, but it is one that you cannot criticise the referee for. It is down to his judgment on the day.
Having officiated a number of Merseyside derby matches, I know how intense they can become.
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