Ex-Premier League referee blames Antonio Conte for Tottenham controversy – ‘that’s a penalty’
Man United should have been awarded a penalty on Saturday when Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot was blocked by Eric Dier’s arm.
That is according to ex-Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the controversial incident in the Red Devils’ 3-2 win over Tottenham.
Ronaldo‘s shot was blocked by Dier’s arm in the first half but referee Jonathan Moss did not deem the contact worthy of a penalty, much to the dismay of United’s players.
VAR official Andre Marriner did not adjudge Moss to have made a clear and obvious error and therefore did not send him to the monitor to review the decision.
However, Hackett claimed a penalty should have been awarded as Dier knew what he was doing.
“The Dier one is difficult but you have to try and read what the player is doing,” he told Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs.
“I think the player knows exactly what he’s doing. That hand is so far back that it is in an unnatural position.
“When you are running it is the elbow that goes back. The elbow goes back first and then the hand. What Dier has done is gone back and held out his elbow. He’s thought, ‘If I keep it close to my body and the ball hits it, I’ll be ok.’
“Now, that comes down to the coaching from managers. They will look at the law and look at how to squeeze it.
“For me, Dier has made himself bigger so I say that’s a penalty. Handball is a subjective decision.”
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