Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett
PREMIER LEAGUE REFEREE REVIEW WEEK 28
Friday 12 March
NEWCASTLE UNITED V ASTON VILLA Result 1-1
Referee: Paul Tierney. Assistants: Ian Hussin, Dan Cook. Fourth official: Andy Madley. VAR: Jarred Gillett. Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood.
A good performance by Referee Tierney who kept play moving well with his low-key, accurate and efficient performance.
Villa opened the scoring with an excellent headed goal by Watkins. Newcastle United scored an equalising goal deep into injury time.
Saturday 13 March
LEEDS UNITED V CHELSEA Result 0-0
Referee: Kevin Friend. Assistants: Simon Beck, Adrian Holmes. Fourth official: Anthony Taylor. VAR: Stuart Attwell. Assistant VAR: Matthew Wilkes.
My first observation on this nil-nil score game was the poor state of the Leeds United playing surface that must rank as the worse in the league. Both teams like to play skilful attacking play, but the pitch made this difficult.
Referee Friend remained alert and produced a good performance.
CRYSTAL PALACE V WEST BROMWICH ALBION Result 1-0
Referee: Simon Hooper. Assistants: Mark Scholes, Derek Eaton. Fourth official: Graham Scott. VAR: Mike Dean. Assistant VAR: Harry Lennard.
Before the start of the game, we witnessed Crystal Palace’s Zaha becoming the first Premier League player not to take the usual knee to recognise Black Lives Matter.
Zaha went on to play a part in the only goal of the game, with an in-swinging cross deflecting onto Furlong of the away team player’s arm.
Referee Hooper did not see the incident and did not respond to the appeals from Palace players. VAR Mike Dean correctly intervened on what was a clear and obvious error, Hooper went to the monitor and having given his square signal pointed to the penalty mark. This is a good example because VAR is important to the game if used properly by match officials.
EVERTON V BURNLEY Result 1-2
Referee: Jonathan Moss. Assistants: Marc Perry, Dan Robathan. Fourth official: Chris Kavanagh. VAR: Martin Atkinson. Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday.
Everton’s Tom Davies lost possession of the ball presenting an opportunity to Burnley’s Woods who made no mistake to open the scoring.
Burnley should have been awarded a penalty kick when West Brooms Holgate’s raised arm met the ball. There was no intervention by VAR Martin Atkinson on what was a clear and obvious error.
Burnley’s second goal was a brilliantly struck left-footer into the top corner of the goal.
In attempting to make a save, Everton’s Pickford managed to sustain an injury and he had to be replaced.
Everton pulled a goal back late in the game from Calvert-Lewin.
FULHAM V MANCHESTER CITY Result 0-3
Referee: Andre Marriner. Assistants: Scott Ledger, Simon Long. Fourth official: Robert Jones. VAR: Craig Pawson. Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday.
Manchester City had a comfortable 3-0 win. Why was Andre Marriner wearing a yellow shirt when the home team goalkeeper was also in yellow?
LAW 4 states:
The two teams must wear colours that distinguish them from each other and the match officials.
Why PGMOL do you not enforce the Laws of the Game by ensuring your officials comply with the law?
Goals by Stones, Gabriel and Aguero further strengthened City’s advance on the Premier League title.
Sunday 14 MARCH
SOUTHAMPTON V BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION Result 1-2
Referee: Stuart Attwell. Assistants: Constantine Hatzidakis, Richard West. Fourth official: Robert Jones. VAR: Andre Marriner. Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday.
Referee Stuart Attwell delivered another good performance. His movement sets the example for other referees to follow (Mason/Marriner/Hooper).
Atwell showed that being in a good position with a clear viewing angle is the foundation for delivering accurate decisions. Well done Stuart.
LEICESTER CITY V SHEFFIELD UNITED Result 5-0
Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistants: Peter Kirkup, James Mainwaring. Fourth official: Anthony Taylor. VAR: David Coote. Assistant VAR: Neil Davies.
A one-sided affair with United players still reeling from their Manager Chris Wilder leaving the club a few hours before the game. Wilder’s love affair with the club saw him rise from ball-boy to Manager.
Leicester are on fire and looking to secure a Champions League spot.
ARSENAL V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Result 2-1
Referee: Michael Oliver. Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett. Fourth official: Kevin Friend. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Lee Betts.
The big talking point in this game was the penalty kick decision awarded by Referee Oliver. He was near the incident and without hesitation awarded the penalty kick to Arsenal. It was a subjective decision and therefore VAR Tierney was correct to not intervene. It was good to see him working to the protocol of ‘Clear and Obvious’.
Late into the game Tottenham’s Lamela (who gave away the earlier penalty) was issued with a second yellow card.
MANCHESTER UNITED V WEST HAM UNITED Result 1-0
Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Sian Massey-Ellis. Fourth official: Martin Atkinson. VAR: Jonathan Moss. Assistant VAR: Adam Nunn.
Referee Chris Kavanagh oversaw this game and can be very happy with his performance.
NEWCASTLE UNITED V ASTON VILLA Result 1-1
Referee: Paul Tierney. Assistants: Ian Hussin, Dan Cook. Fourth official: Andy Madley. VAR: Jarred Gillett. Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood.
This was a good performance by Referee Tierney, who kept play moving well with his low-key, accurate and efficient performance.
Villa opened the scoring with an excellent-headed goal by Watkins. Newcastle United scored an equalising goal deep into injury time.
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