Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett
PREMIER LEAGUE/FA CUP/SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE REFEREE PERFORMANCE REVIEW
FRIDAY 19TH MARCH
FULHAM V LEEDS UNITED Result 1-2
Referee: David Coote. Assistants: Dan Cook, Nick Hopton. Fourth official: Darren England. VAR: Craig Pawson. Assistant VAR: Richard West.
Leeds United’s Luke Ayling had the ball in the net, but it was correctly ruled out after VAR review. Replays showed that the Leeds United player who crossed the ball was in an offside position, due to his shoulder been ahead of his opponent when the ball was played forward to him.
With the change at the start of the season to the Handball Law, the shoulder is now part of the body in the same way the foot and head can be used to score a goal.
Leeds United’s Raphina also put the ball into his opponent’s net, but this was again correctly judged offside. Raphina was some distance ahead of the second-to-last defender.
Leeds Jack Harrison put in a nice cross in the 29th minute, which was met by the goal predator Bamford, Leeds United took the lead. 0-1. I do feel that the Leeds striker was unlucky not to be named in Gareth Southgate England squad after delighting many of us with his terrific work rate and ability to score. He certainly puts in a shift when he is playing for Leeds.
Leeds United’s vulnerability at defending corner kicks was punished once again through Joachim Anderson putting Fulham level.
Leeds United then took the lead following a delightful pass by Bamford Raphina scoring Leeds United’s second and winning goal.
In the 66th minute Fulham’s number 34 was lucky to escape the sanction of a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Leeds United Raphina his boot meeting the top of his opponent’s foot.
Leeds United defended well after taking the lead clearly determined to hold onto their winning margin.
Referee David Coote did quite well, but I do think that to gain credibility with his decision making he needs to improve his proximity to play.
SATURDAY 20TH MARCH
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION V NEWCASTLE UNITED Result 3-0
Referee: Anthony Taylor. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn. Fourth official: Kevin Friend. VAR: Stuart Attwell. Assistant VAR: Stephen Child.
This was an extremely poor performance by Newcastle United, who were second best to Brighton throughout.
Anthony Taylor to his credit maintained good awareness and delivered a particularly good performance. Taylor’s approach was low key, but he was firmly in control of the proceedings throughout.
Danny Welbeck scored his first goal since joining Brighton. The away team goalkeeper should be disappointed with his effort to pull off a save.
Newcastle United must improve if they are going to avoid the drop.
SUNDAY 21ST MARCH
WEST HAM UNITED V ARSENAL Result 3-3
Referee: Jonathan Moss. Assistants: Marc Perry, Dan Robathan. Fourth official: Graham Scott. VAR: Martin Atkinson. Assistant VAR: Scott Ledger.
Lingard opened the scoring with a fine strike on goal
A talking point for me in this game was Referee Moss (who having awarded a free kick to West Ham United) being happy to allow Jesse Lingard to take a quick free kick. His pass found an alert Jarrod Bowen who scored. Interestingly, he allowed Arsenal in the second half to do likewise.
The only question a refereeing purist would ask would be was the ball correctly positioned. In similar circumstances I have allowed play to continue.
West Ham United were in complete control of the first half gaining a 3-1 lead. Arsenal were frankly outplayed.
In the second half, Manager David Moyes showed his annoyance with the referee when his team in possession of the ball and were in a good attacking position. Suddenly, they were stopped by an extremely late blast on the whistle which brought play back and awarded a free kick to West Ham. This was a poor piece of officiating.
In a highly entertaining game, Arsenal managed to claw their way back and achieve a draw
ASTON VILLA V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR RESULT 0-2
Referee: Mike Dean. Assistants: Darren Cann, Mark Scholes. Fourth official: Robert Jones. VAR: Simon Hooper. Assistant VAR: Derek Eaton.
After their poor mid-week performance that saw them exit the Europa. Tottenham bounced back with a 2-0 win. Goals by Alves Morais and the reliable Harry Kane from the penalty mark. Mike Dean will be happy that the game passed without any refereeing controversy
CELTIC V RANGERS RESULT 1-1
Referee: Willie Collum
There was a nice touch before kicking off when Celtic captain Scott Brown approached Rangers Glen Kamara to clearly offer his support after the mid-week Europa League tie. In that game, Slavia Prague’s Ondrej Kudela is alleged to have racially abused Kamara.
Without the crowd, there is no doubt that the passion from the players is subdued and the usual fierce challenges that you expect to see were not visible.
There was a good piece of officiating in the match when the referee judged that Edouard had ‘dived’. I do think that Scottish referees are more alert in taking the appropriate action to sanction players without hesitation on whoever is attempting to deceive them.
The score was one goal each ending Ranger’s chance of equalising Celtic’s 106-point haul in their unbeaten 2016/17 season.
Saturday 20th March 2021
AFC BOURNEMOUTH V SOUTHAMPTON RESULT 0-3 FA Cup
Referee: Atkinson, Martin, Assistant Referee: Burt, Stuart, Assistant Referee: Hatzidakis, Constantine, Fourth Official: Hooper, Simon, Video Assistant Referee: Coote, David, Additional Video Assistant Referee: Hopton, Nick
There were no problems for an alert and in-form Referee Martin Atkinson who is having one of his best seasons.
Southampton made rather easy work of their win over near-neighbours Bournemouth.
EVERTON V MANCHESTER CITY RESULT 0-2 FA Cup
Referee: Oliver, Michael, Assistant Referee: Betts, Lee, Assistant Referee: Massey-Ellis, Sian, Fourth Official: Dean, Michael, Video Assistant Referee: Marriner, Andre, Additional Video Assistant Referee: Holmes, Adrian
This was a competitive encounter and the stalemate was broken in the 84th minute Gundogan scoring and Kevin De Bruyne.
Sunday 21st March 2021
CHELSEA V SHEFFIELD UNITED RESULT 2-0 FA Cup
Referee: Madley, Andrew, Assistant Referee: Davies, Neil, Assistant Referee: Smart, Edward, Fourth Official: Taylor, Anthony, Video Assistant Referee: Friend, Kevin, Additional Video Assistant Referee: Beck, Simon
Well done Referee Andy Madley who is growing in confidence and beginning to look relaxed and in control of these top games. I hope that he will be rewarded by an appointment to the Final as Fourth Official.
Sheffield United were always second best and sadly lost the game
LEICESTER CITY V MANCHESTER UNITED RESULT 3-1 FA Cup
Referee: Marriner, Andre, Assistant Referee: Holmes, Adrian, Assistant Referee: Lennard, Harry, Fourth Official: England, Darren, Video Assistant Referee: Attwell, Stuart, Additional Video Assistant Referee: Wilkes, Matthew
Leicester City took the lead after an incredible error by Fred who passed the ball inside his own penalty area to Leicester City’s Iheanacho who scored the opening goal. United’s Mason Greenwood then scored an equalising goal just before half time.
Andre Marriner was officiating well and avoiding any controversy.
Seven minutes into the second half Youri Tielemans scored the home team’s second goal. Iheanacho then scored his second and Leicester’s third goal with United’s defence missing in the 78th minute.
Leicester are in the semi-finals at Wembley against Southampton.
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