‘I reffed those guys’ – Keith Hackett responds to Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville over Amad Diallo controversy
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville were not wrong to disagree with one of Michael Oliver’s decisions between Liverpool and Man United.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that despite their protestations, the game has entered a new era in the Premier League.
The biggest controversy emerged when Bryan Mbeumo was allowed to open the scoring, even with Alexis Mac Allister needing treatment due to an elbow to the head from teammate Virgil van Dijk.
Oliver has been defended by Hackett for his decision to play on, but it was one that shot the referee into the spotlight during United’s shock 2-1 win over their rivals at Anfield on Sunday, 19 October.
Amad Diallo goes into the referee’s notebook at Anfield
Oliver was an unpopular figure once again as Amad Diallo was shown a yellow card for what appeared to be a standard tackle on Cody Gakpo, with both Neville and Carragher disagreeing with the harsh decision.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Patrick Dorgu both deserved to be punished as the duo clashed over a late free-kick, but the referee chose to keep his cards in his pocket on this occasion.
Very few understood the official’s inconsistencies on the pitch, but rewatching the clip after full-time, Hackett acknowledged, while it would not have been an issue in his day, those kinds of tackles are frowned upon now.
The Man United star clearly got the ball, but after a follow-through, he left the opponent on the floor, and Oliver felt he had no other option but to sanction him in front of a riled-up Anfield crowd.
Keith Hackett takes the blame off Michael Oliver
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “The boot is slightly raised. That right leg is high, which is why he’s got a yellow card. The referee has judged it as reckless.
“But I come from a different era. What I would try to do is keep my cards in my pocket. There was an opportunity to manage it, but the foot was slightly raised, and that can be seen as reckless.
“I can see how players will see it as a good tackle, though. I refereed those guys [Carragher and Neville], and that’s the difference. We’re in a game where that is less acceptable. Michael Oliver hasn’t judged it as careless, though. He’s seen it as reckless.”