Ex-Fifa official: Referee made major blunder as controversial Jarrod Bowen footage emerges from West Ham
West Ham have every right to be unhappy with Southampton’s goal in their 1-1 draw at St. Mary’s, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted Peter Bankes was correct in law but will be disappointed with his actions.
As shown on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2 programme, Bankes got in the way of Jarrod Bowen and stopped him from challenging Romain Perraud who scored with a long-range effort.
Tomas Soucek sliced his clearance and Bowen was not able to pick up the ball due to Bankes’ positioning.
David Moyes said after the game he was “hugely disappointed” with the result as Southampton’s goal should have been chalked off.
“The first thing is, the laws of the game were applied correctly by the referee,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“Now we look at the referee. The referee has interfered with Bowen and as a consequence, Bowen had no chance to put in a challenge that he would have been able to do if the referee was not there. This is a poor piece of officiating.
“If the ball had hit the referee the game would’ve stopped but it’s not the ball. He’s part of the field of play.
“The outcome was the correct one. In the past, we might have found something.
“On this occasion, David Moyes has the right to express his unhappiness at the referee in this particular situation.
“Hey, this happens, but rarely. Bankes is a very experienced referee and is also a fit and mobile referee. One has to say, what is he doing there?
“He’s squeezed into play. When you’ve got players surrounding you, he’s done the right thing, he’s stood still. But he’s still interfering with play.
“He’ll be as disappointed as West Ham will be.”
In other news, there has been a big update on Declan Rice after a “jawdropping” offer is tabled.