Keith Hackett shares verdict on VAR controversy during Leeds United 4-2 win v Wolves
Ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett has admitted that there is “confusion” among referees right now after the controversy in Leeds United’s 4-2 win over Wolves.
The Whites earned a big win at Molineux to move out of the relegation zone and into 14th place (18 March), but the game was filled with incidents that left Wolves furious with referee Michael Salisbury’s performance.
In particular was a penalty that wasn’t given in the first-half, which Hackett admits he feels should have been given, but he also believes they were “very fortunate” not to get another red card for Craig Dawson’s dangerous tackle in the second half.
“I was surprised that the penalty kick wasn’t given, in fairness, because I think there was contact,” he told the Yorkshire Evening Post (20 March).
“I think where the confusion is arising with certain referees is that they’re almost looking for something that’s worse. What they’ve got to do is get back to basics and recognise a foul is a foul.
“And I think what really does make it difficult is that we see acts of simulation, exaggeration going on pretty consistently. That makes life very difficult for the referee. So they’ve decided there’s insufficient impact in the context for him to award that penalty kick.
“I think that referees have to be consistent and I think Dawson was very fortunate to stay on, for sure.”
Awful tackle
The penalty decision is a 50/50 one depending on what side of the fence you’re on, because Firpo definitely gets a touch on the ball as well as kicking Semedo.
But the foul by Dawson was incredibly dangerous and he effectively stamps on the shin of Harrison, so how a red card wasn’t given is simply bizarre.
When you consider some of the tackles we’ve seen given as red cards in the past few weeks, namely Casemiro against Southampton, these are decisions were consistency is needed and can have a huge effect on the rest of the season for teams in and around the bottom.
Dawson makes no contact with the ball and clamps down on Harrison’s leg, and on a bad day he could easily have broken his leg.
How a yellow card was deemed enough and the VAR didn’t intervene is mental, and the FA and Premier League must surely take a look into how to better implement technology because it’s not good enough right now.
In other Leeds news, Michael Owen shares his verdict on the VAR controversy from Molineux and backs Leeds.
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