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Ex-Fifa official issues 'unbelievable' Patrick Roberts claim as Sunderland controversy analysed
Keith Hackett “cannot believe” the officials did not award Sunderland winger Patrick Roberts a penalty in the League One play-off final.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee said the second-half incident was “a nailed on penalty kick.”
Roberts went down when sandwiched between two Wycombe Wanderers defenders shortly after the hour mark at Wembley.
However, referee Simon Hooper did not believe the contact was worthy of a penalty.
VAR was in operation for the game but chose not to intervene.
The decision would ultimately be indecisive as the Black Cats sealed promotion with a 2-0 win.
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When asked by Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs for his assessment of the incident at Wembley, Hackett said: “It was absolutely a nailed on penalty kick.
“I cannot believe that VAR did not intervene. Sunderland were very unlucky not to get a penalty kick on that one.
“I just sat there watching the game and said ‘penalty kick’ as soon as it happened. I thought it was an easy call.
“If the referee is out of position and cannot see it then VAR should have rectified the decision. Nothing happened though.
“It was the wrong call. These are the big call that top referees have to get right. They will try and fudge it but there cannot be fudge.
“It is a penalty kick. That was an error.”
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