Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett

REFEREE PERFORMANCE REVIEW WEEK 6

SATURDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER

CHELSEA V MANCHESTER CITY RESULT 0-1
Referee: Michael Oliver. Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett. Fourth official: Robert Jones. VAR: Darren England. Assistant VAR: Dan Robathan.

Michael Oliver delivered another top-class performance in this his tenth game of the season (5 Premier League, 2 Champions League, 2 Europa League and 1 World Cup qualifier).
This highlights the need for the PGMOL to manage the fitness and recovery of the match officials and to organise the appropriate rest periods after discussion with Sports Scientist and Oliver. They must avoid any burn out.

There is no doubt that Michael’s movement around the field of play reduces any error in his decision-making. His low-key, unfussy approach ensured that he applied the lighter touch in a positive manner. The players responded positively.

Jesus of Manchester City after a sprint scored the opening goal. Chelsea then had the ball in the net but after a VAR review the goal was correctly ruled offside. I must say that the use of the broader line has improved the offside decision. However, this was a tight decision.

Manchester City produced an excellent performance.

Please note – I have looked at the Rudiger challenge and would say that the still shot does not look good. However, at normal speed at most it’s a yellow card offence.

MANCHESTER UNITED V ASTON VILLA RESULT 0-1
Referee: Mike Dean. Assistants: Darren Cann, Eddie Smart. Fourth official: Michael Salisbury. VAR: Andy Madley. Assistant VAR: Simon Beck.

Aston Villa took the lead from a corner through a header at the near post. Manchester United were awarded a penalty kick after an excellent intervention by the Assistant. However, Fernandes hit it over the cross bar.

Mike Dean can be very happy with his performance. He remained low key and efficient.

EVERTON V NORWICH CITY RESULT 2-0
Referee: David Coote. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Nick Hopton. Fourth official: Dean Whitestone. VAR: Lee Mason. Assistant VAR: Peter Kirkup.

Referee David Coote was in an excellent position but was very indecisive when there was a clear foul in front of him inside the penalty area. He frankly did not make the call and appeared to be waiting for the intervention of the VAR. It came to his rescue and after reviewing the incident awarded a penalty kick. He got to the correct decision but he is in the ‘SELLING GAME’ and needs to be clear and decisive when making the big decisions.

Norwich failed to make good use of free kicks that crossed into their opponent’s penalty area.

Everton made it 2-0 and closed off the win.

LEEDS UNITED V WEST HAM UNITED RESULT 1-2
Referee: Kevin Friend. Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Derek Eaton. Fourth official: Tony Harrington. VAR: Andre Marriner. Assistant VAR: Ian Hussin.

This was a terrific match to watch with the home team goalkeeper pulling off two excellent saves. Then a mistake by the West Ham United goalkeeper and Leeds United’s Raphina hit the back of the net.

The controversial incident of the match came when the Leeds United goalkeeper jumped for the ball and in front of him the large West Ham player Antonio. West Ham scored but Antonio used his right arm illegally and after a review the goal was correctly ruled out.
In seeing that the goalkeeper was injured, Referee Friend should have called the trainer on, had the discussion with VAR, reviewed the monitor and then cautioned (Yellow card) Antonio.

West Ham United equalised with a deflected goal after the attacker had oceans of space on his right wing. Leeds United’s Firpo who deflected the ball into his net was a long way out of position. Score one each.

Then up pops Antonio to score the winner. A really entertaining match and Leeds United who play attacking football must look to tighten up their defence.

Well, done Kevin Friend who managed the game really well.

LEICESTER CITY V BURNLEY RESULT 2-2
Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Assistants: Adam Nunn, Neil Davies. Fourth official: Graham Scott. VAR: Jonathan Moss. Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood.

In the opening stages of the match, Jamie Vardy missed a sitter and then scored an own goal heading into his own net.

Then referee Chris Kavanagh played a terrific advantage. There was a foul just inside Leicester’s own half but Kavanagh took a risk and played an advantage to Leicester resulting in Vardy scoring.

In the 40th minute, Cornet scored for Burnley 1-2 in the 40th minute of the game.

Vardy scored the equaliser in the 85th minute to close off the game. In the closing stages, Burnley’s Chris Wood scored but the decision was offside.

A good performance by Chris Kavanagh

WATFORD V NEWCASTLE UNITED RESULT 1-1
Referee: Jarred Gillett . Assistants: Lee Betts, Constantine Hatzidakis. Fourth official: Martin Atkinson. VAR: Craig Pawson. Assistant VAR: Marc Perry.

History was made in this game with the appointment of Australian referee Jarred Gillet. In 2008, Jarred arrived in England with his coach Ted Kearney and other officials to spend a week with the PGMOL. I had set this up after a meeting with a Midlands referee Mal Davies.
During the week they trained with the Premier League referees and attended workshops. Jarred also refereed an Under 18 Academy game between Birmingham City and Cardiff City. He is in England doing research work at Liverpool John Moores University. He was Australia’s top referee and the PGMOL took him on board to referee in the Championship. His performances brought about his elevation to the top tier of English Refereeing.

It is never easy to officiate at the Premier League level. Newcastle opened the scoring with a long shot by Longstaff.
Gillet was in an excellent position to judge that a foul was just outside the penalty area. VAR checked and confirmed that the referee was correct.

We then had Saint Maximin have an opportunity to score but surprisingly he passed the ball and Longstaff was closed down.

Watford scored an equaliser from a corner kick through Sarr in the 72nd minute.

Joshua King thought that he had scored the winner but it was correctly ruled out by VAR.

Gillet will be happy with his first game on the Premier League.

SUNDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER

BRENTFORD V LIVERPOOL RESULT 3-3
Referee: Stuart Attwell. Assistants: Dan Cook, Harry Lennard. Fourth official: John Brooks. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.

Both teams competed well and delivered a very enjoyable match.  In the first half both teams had the ball kicked off the line. Mo Salah scored his 100th goal after a VAR check

Brentford had a goal ruled out for offside after VAR review – this was the correct decision.

A very good performance by Attwell.

SOUTHAMPTON V WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS RESULT 0-1
Referee: Andy Madley. Assistants: Richard West, Mark Scholes. Fourth official: Simon Hooper. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Harry Lennard.

Referee Madley judged the game with the lighter touch approach really well, moving much better than last season. He looked confident and with presence and was fully aware of the delaying tactics by Wolves when they went one goal up. With one minute of added time left could have been a problem with Wolves delaying but Madley straight in to ensure no escalation of any conflict.

The difference between both teams was the goal by Jimenez on his return from a serious injury.

This was the best performance to date by Andy Madley in his Premier League career.

ARSENAL V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR RESULT 3-1
Referee: Craig Pawson. Assistants: Ian Hussin, Dan Robathan. Fourth official: Peter Bankes. VAR: Stuart Attwell. Assistant VAR: Constantine Hatzidakis.

Arsenal took the lead in the 12th minute following a cross from Saka and a strike by Smith-Rowe. They doubled their score in the 27th minute when an Arsenal breakaway resulted in a goal by Aubameyang
Arsenal then took a commanding lead in the 33rd minute when Saka dribbled into the penalty area. Harry Kane put in a challenge but the ball broke loose and Saka scored Arsenal’s third of the afternoon.

The first half was comfortable for Referee Pawson, who kept the game flowing. The players of both teams just got on with the game. When the whistle blew for half time, Spurs had yet to turn up and compete.

In the second half, Tottenham Hotspur should have had a penalty kick for a foul on Harry Kane. Pawson in a good position waved aside appeals. VAR should have intervened probably judging that it was not a clear and obvious error.

With 12 minutes to go, Referee Pawson played a very risky advantage after two players were left on the ground. From the advantage the ball was crossed into the penalty area for Son Heung-Min to score. Granit Xhaka had to go off injured and was replaced by a substitute.

Arsenal’s goalkeeper Ramsdale made a terrific save in added time jumping high to deflect the ball onto the crossbar.

Arsenal fans will have really enjoyed this performance. It would have been a very hard watch if your team is Spurs.

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