Keith Hackett: Luke Shaw handball v Leeds ‘on the margins’
We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett to the MOT Leeds News team. Each week, Hackett will discuss the big moments from the latest Leeds United games and deliver his verdict on whether his successors got their calls right or wrong…
Keith Hackett has said that while Luke Shaw knew what he was doing, there was insufficient evidence for a penalty kick to be awarded to Leeds.
In the 0-0 draw on Sunday, Shaw cut a cross out with his arm and stopped the ball dropping to Helder Costa who would have had a clear shot on goal.
Hackett said that the decision not to give a penalty was not a clear and obvious error and that you have to defer to the on-field referee in these instances.
However, he also said that if he was a Leeds fan he would have been “screaming for a penalty”.
Talking exclusively to MOT Leeds News Hackett said, “For a penalty kick to be awarded in these types of situations you’re looking for a handball to be deliberate and the arm to be in an unnatural position.
“I think this is a very tight call and I’d err slightly on the side of the referee and not award a penalty kick.
“If I was a Leeds fan I’d be screaming for a penalty.
“The other thing is that the match officials have got to be satisfied that there’s a deliberate action, making the body unnaturally larger.
“What Shaw has cleverly done is keep his arm close to his body.
“It’s a fine line between what’s a natural position and an unnatural position. It’s on the margins here.
“If you’re giving a penalty you’re almost giving them a goal and this is insufficient in my opinion for a penalty to be awarded.
“It’s not a clear and obvious error, and I think you have to go with the on-field referee here.
“Shaw knows what he’s doing, though.”
In other Leeds United news, Leeds first-team player starts for Under-23s today – Confirmed starting XI v Fulham