Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett
FRIDAY 23RD APRIL
ARSENAL V EVERTON RESULT 0-1
Referee: Jonathan Moss. Assistants: Marc Perry, Dan Robathan. Fourth official: Graham Scott. VAR: David Coote. Assistant VAR: Stuart Burt.
Referee Jon Moss awarded a penalty kick to Arsenal, which frankly in my opinion was a wrong decision. VAR went back to review an offside in the build-up. Following the usual lines being drawn, it was ruled offside and Jon Moss was off the hook.
Everton won after a major handling mistake by the Arsenal goalkeeper.
SATURDAY 24TH APRIL
LIVERPOOL V NEWCASTLE UNITED RESULT 1-1
Referee: Andre Marriner. Assistants: Richard West, Derek Eaton. Fourth official: Lee Mason. VAR: Andy Madley. Assistant VAR: Matthew Wilkes.
Mo Salah opened the score for Liverpool in the third minute. Newcastle should then have been awarded a penalty when Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold deliberately barged into his opponent, sending him crashing to the ground.
I was amazed that VAR Andy Madley did not see this as a clear and obvious error.
Newcastle’s Callum Wilson later scored but this was correctly ruled out for handball. Wilson’s team mate Joe Willock scored the equalising goal in the dying seconds of the goal to earn the away team a deserved point.
WEST HAM UNITED V CHELSEA RESULT 0-1
Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Assistants: Adam Nunn, Sian Massey-Ellis. Fourth official: Mike Dean. VAR: Peter Bankes. Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday.
This game centred around the incorrect dismissal of West Ham’s Balbuena, who was judged after VAR intervention and review to have kicked his opponent in clearing the ball upfield.
Referee Kavanagh reviewed the pitchside monitor before dismissing the Paraguay defender. I have reviewed the incident several times and the defender in clearing the ball accidentally catches his opponent. It was not a challenge, there was no malice and sadly this was a wrong decision to dismiss him.
Playing incidents back in slow motion distorts the action and two of our top referees managed to get this wrong.
SHEFFIELD UNITED V BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION RESULT 1-0
Referee: Kevin Friend. Assistants: Simon Beck, Darren Cann. Fourth official: Tony Harrington. VAR: Michael Oliver. Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday.
A game that passed without incident and a more relaxed home side managed to secure a rare home win.
SUNDAY 25TH APRIL
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS V BURNLEY RESULT 0-4
Referee: Darren England. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Nick Hopton. Fourth official: David Coote. VAR: Michael Oliver. Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday.
Traore of Wolves should have received a red card when he pushed out in the face of Burnley’s Jack Frost in an aggressive manner. Referee England should have been assisted by VAR Oliver on this one.
LEEDS UNITED V MANCHESTER UNITED RESULT 0-0
Referee: Craig Pawson. Assistants: Ian Hussin, Harry Lennard. Fourth official: Lee Mason. VAR: Mike Dean. Assistant VAR: Peter Kirkup.
Well done Referee Pawson who can be pleased that he delivered a game with no controversy. Neither team deserved to win the match.
ASTON VILLA V WEST BROMWICH ALBION RESULT 2-2
Referee: Stuart Attwell. Assistants: Dan Cook, Neil Davies. Fourth official: Anthony Taylor. VAR: Martin Atkinson. Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood.
West Brom were fortunate to be awarded a penalty kick during this game. It was a rather soft one for me.
CARABAO CUP FINAL
MANCHESTER CITY V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR RESULT 1-0
Referee Paul Tierney. Assistant Referees Lee Betts, Constantine Haztidakis, Fourth official Peter Bankes. VAR Andre Marriner, AVAR Adrian Holmes Reserve Assistant Ref Daniel Robathan
The main talking point in this game was Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte. He should have received a yellow card in the first half. Then in the second half, he was shown a yellow which in reality should have been his second followed by a red. However, Referee Tierney failed to sanction the first one and Laporte stayed on the field and scored the winning goal.
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