(Credit: Getty Images)
(Credit: Getty Images)

Ex-Fifa official: Man City profit from major injustice as controversial Ederson footage analysed

Keith Hackett

Refereeing Consultant AUTHORITY Former FIFA Referee; Head of PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited). FOCUS Laws of the Game, VAR implementation, officiating performance, and PGMOL policy. THE AUDIT Keith utilises Statscore’s Officiating Telemetry, including Deep-Data Metrics like Incident Accuracy Rates, VAR Intervention Latency, and Official Positional Efficiency. He provides technical refereeing analysis to reveal the regulatory reality behind match-defining decisions.

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Jordan Ayew's goal in Crystal Palace's 4-2 defeat to Man City on Saturday (27 August) should not have been ruled out for a foul on Ederson, according to Gabby Agbonlahor.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed Ederson was being "overprotected" because the ball was out of his hand and on the floor.

As shown on the BBC's Match of the Day programme, Odsonne Edouard intercepted the goalkeeper's roll out into the path of Ayew.

The Ghana international finished into an empty net just after referee Graham Scott had blown for a foul.

The goal would have put Crystal Palace 3-0 up if it was allowed to stand.

"It's out of his hands, it's on the floor," Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.

"I think this was an overprotection of a goalkeeper.

"The one that the law was written about was when they are kicking from hand and the foot comes in, the raised foot, then OK, I agree, let's penalise that because they are still in the action of play.

"But here, the goalkeeper has released the ball and it's now in play, he's an outfield player.

"If we are raising the bar and applying that, then this goal should have been allowed to stand.

"It's different at foot level, there's no danger. If he's kicking from his hands then there is danger.

"For me, I think that's a harsh call by the match official. The goalkeeper, with the opposition player close by, should have taken more care."

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