Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett
PREMIER LEAGUE REFEREE PERFORMANCE REVIEW WEEK 35
FRIDAY 7TH MAY
LEICESTER CITY V NEWCASTLE UNITED Result 2-4
Referee: Darren England. Assistants: Lee Betts, Darren Cann. Fourth official: Craig Pawson. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Scott Ledger.
Leicester’s Johnny Evans was injured in the warmup so unable to take part in the game. It was an error by a Leicester defender allowed Newcastle United’s Willock to open the scoring.
Newcastle’s Dummet headed directly into goal from a corner kick putting the away team into a shock two-goal lead before Callum Wilson scored the third goal on the break. Leicester City were frankly miles off their usual play.
Callum Wilson hit the post with a strike on goal, it rebounded kindly to him and he made no mistake of putting Newcastle United into a four-nil lead. Late in the game, Albrighton and Ineacheo made the score more respectable.
This was a big win for Newcastle who are probably one point away from safety. I thought that referee Darren England delivered another very good performance.
SATURDAY 8TH MAY
LEEDS UNITED V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Result 3-1
Referee: Michael Oliver. Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett. Fourth official: Chris Kavanagh. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Neil Davies.
Leeds United have provided us with some positive attacking football over the course of the season, which leads to games that everyone wants to watch.
Ever-present Dallas opened the scoring for Leeds before Son of Spurs equalised with a well-taken goal.
We had another game where Harry Kane scored only to see it ruled out by the nonsense VAR review. Frankly when you look at this, I see no reason for chalking off a good goal.
Why are club managers and owners putting him with this nonsense?! The LMA and PFA should be questioning the lack of quality from the PGMOL with regard to VAR and Law 11.
Michael Oliver who delivered another excellent performance played a great advantage that resulted in Bamford scoring to give Leeds a 2-1 lead. The Leeds goalkeeper then made some good saves before his team took a 3-1 lead.
Michael Oliver is easily our best referee.
SHEFFIELD UNITED V CRYSTAL PALACE Result 0-2
Referee: Simon Hooper. Assistants: Eddie Smart, Derek Eaton. Fourth official: Lee Mason. VAR: Robert Jones. Assistant VAR: Matthew Wilkes.
It has been a disappointing season for Sheffield United that has seen the iconic United Manager Chris Wilder leave the club. Wilder was available when the Board of Directors needed him and I wonder where that Board was when Wilder needed them.
Crystal Palace took the lead in the second minute through a shot by Benteke.
There was a lot of huff and puff from a home team that has lost its drive and enthusiasm. Eze of Crystal Palace scored a second to tie up an easy win.
MANCHESTER CITY V CHELSEA Result 1-2
Referee: Anthony Taylor. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn. Fourth official: Jonathan Moss. VAR: Stuart Attwell. Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday.
Raheem Sterling was rightly given a yellow card for his reckless challenge, he was fortunate for when reviewing this I would have sent him off. Chelsea scored but correctly ruled out Werner the scorer clearly offside,
Sterling then put Manchester City into the lead then the home team were awarded a penalty kick which was spectacularly missed by Aquero trying to chip it over the goalkeeper. Aquero apologised to his colleagues and fans on social media later in the day.
The big talking point was a clear foul in the penalty area on Sterling which Referee Anthony Taylor was wrong to wave aside. It was a clear and obvious error, therefore it was rather disappointing that VAR Stuart Attwell did not intervene.
If they make this type of error in the upcoming Euros, they will be on the next plane home.
LIVERPOOL V SOUTHAMPTON Result 2-0
Referee: Kevin Friend. Assistants: Simon Beck, Adrian Holmes. Fourth official: Andy Madley. VAR: Andre Marriner. Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday.
Southampton should have opened the scoring, but the home team goalkeeper pulled off a terrific save. Mane then opened the scoring for Liverpool.
Salah had some good chances for the hosts, but rather than striking the ball first time he appears to want to take a second touch and then finds himself closed by defenders. He has started to do this a lot recently.
Thiago scored the second and final goal for Liverpool who are fighting to get a top four position.
SUNDAY 9TH MAY
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS V BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION Result 2-1
Referee: Jonathan Moss. Assistants: Marc Perry, Timothy Wood. Fourth official: Andy Madley. VAR: Andre Marriner. Assistant VAR: Andy Halliday.
Brighton opened the scoring in the 13th minute through Dunk, who was later correctly sent off in the 53rd minute for DOGSO which deserved a sending off.
This was for a tug of the shirt on Fabio Silva after the forward had darted goal-side of him, altered the momentum of the contest, and with a bit of help from the introduction of Adama Traore, a clear denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
Wolves then missed a golden opportunity to take the lead a forward skying the ball over the crossbar from 12 yards out. They finally took the lead in the 90th minute through Gibbs-White who missed that earlier chance.
After the end of the game, Maupay clearly approached Referee Moss who responded with a red card.
ASTON VILLA V MANCHESTER UNITED Result 1-3
Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Assistants: Constantine Hatzidakis, Sian Massey-Ellis. Fourth official: Martin Atkinson. VAR: Jarred Gillett. Assistant VAR: Lee Betts.
Bertrand Traore opened the scoring for the home team with a terrific finish before Paul Pogba was brought down by a foul challenge from behind, like Sterling’s inside the penalty area.
The referee correctly pointed to the penalty mark Bruno Fernandes makes it 1-1
Mason Greenwood put United into the lead with a well-placed shot 1-2.
The main talking point was the red card issued to Watkins. It was for two yellow cards, the first for a foul challenge and the second was a brave decision by the referee. Watkins was clearly going for a dive inside the penalty area to deceive the referee. He failed, was issued a second yellow and dismissed.
WEST HAM UNITED V EVERTON Result 0-1
Referee: Stuart Attwell. Assistants: Dan Cook, Simon Long. Fourth official: Craig Pawson. VAR: Darren England. Assistant VAR: Peter Kirkup.
This was a disappointing result for West Ham United, who lost to a Calvert-Lewin goal in the 24th minute.
It was good to see Referee Attwell deliver another very good performance in a season where he has established himself in the top echelon of refereeing in England. Well done to him and his team of officials.
ARSENAL V WEST BROMWICH ALBION Result 3-1
Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistants: Neil Davies, James Mainwaring. Fourth official: David Coote. VAR: Mike Dean. Assistant VAR: Dan Robathan.
Sadly, Sam Allardyce was unable to weave his magic and keep West Brom in the Premier League next season.
Arsenal were denied a clear penalty kick for a foul on Saka. Do think that this was one for Mike Dean VAR to intervene.
Willian scored his first goal of the season a rather surprising statistic. Arsenal worked hard and deserved their win.
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