Ex-Fifa official: Bukayo Saka accused of ‘cheating’ by officials at Arsenal
Referee Robert Jones publicly accused Bukayo Saka of Bukayo Saka of “cheating” as Arsenal drew 1-1 with Southampton last weekend (23 October), according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee urged Jones to review the footage after he showed Saka a yellow card for simulation at St. Mary’s.
The 21-year-old was challenged by Duje Caleta-Car on the edge of the Southampton penalty area but was shown a yellow card despite being tripped.
Jones also dished out a caution for simulation to Theo Walcott towards the end of the game.
“Referees have to be very careful when they give out a yellow card for simulation because you are actually publicly saying to everybody ‘You’re cheating’,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“I think one was clear, the Walcott one, and on the other one, he was drawn into it. I don’t think he had the best of angles. Of course, you cannot have VAR coming in on yellow cards.
“He’ll learn through experience and he has to review. Ultimately, at the end of the day, when you are issuing a sanction of a red or yellow card, you’ve got to be 100 per cent accurate.
“You caution a player for an act of simulation and exaggeration, that’s my view. When a player has simulated and then goes off on one with two arms up at the referee, that’s when you hammer the guy.
“I say to referees ‘No surprises’. That one was a bit of a surprise.
“In fairnes, he’s learning his craft and he’s coming on. I would like more mobility but I say that about most referees.
“He managed the game and he didn’t look out of place.”
In other news, Tottenham are close to agreeing a naming rights deal worth £21million-a-year more than Arsenal.