Keith Hackett explains why Jordan Pickford avoided red card vs Brentford, as Farai Hallam lauded
Jordan Pickford rightly avoided being sent off in the early moments of Everton's dramatic 2-2 draw against Brentford.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that referee Farai Hallam is setting an example to the other PGMOL officials in the Premier League.
The referee made his Premier League debut during Man City's 2-0 win over Wolves back in January, and he has gone from strength to strength, thanks to the confidence shown in him by Howard Webb.
Hallam was at the centre of Everton's four-goal thriller against Brentford, and he was thrown straight into the action when Pickford brought down Kevin Schade inside the penalty area in the third minute.
Jordan Pickford lunges into a late challenge on Kevin Schade
The Bees were awarded a spot-kick, with the Toffees' shot-stopper being shown a yellow card, and Hackett has explained why calls for a harsher punishment were wrong at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “It’s a yellow. Let’s not go into the sphere of DOGSO. You can argue that Pickford has attempted to play the ball, so it’s a yellow.
“There’s a covering defender as well. This is Farai Hallam, who is new to the Premier League, but he’s establishing himself as a consistent referee.
| Clubs | Penalties awarded in 2025-26 | Penalties conceded in 2025-26 |
| Everton | 2 | 4 |
| Brentford | 9 | 7 |
“He’s in form, delivering good performances, and he got this one right as well. Spot-on to award a penalty, and also correct not to issue a red card.”
Referee Farai Hallam earns his plaudits at Gtech Community Stadium
Hackett was extremely complimentary of the referee's overall performance, being given more and more opportunities by the PGMOL chief to prove himself at the top level.
“You can see his movement paths, which are pretty good, and he’s getting into good positions. Getting into good positions means he’ll see these offences," he said to Football Insider.
“He’s come in, and he’s been a breath of fresh air in terms of officiating. Good on the PGMOL and Howard Webb to have the confidence to appoint him.
“We’re coming to the business end of the season. The stakes are high, and it’s good to see a new referee doing a good job. He’s setting an example to the other referees.”