Ex-Fifa official: Ronaldo’s reputation ‘impairing’ Man United as controversial footage emerges
Man United should have had a penalty for Kurt Zouma’s challenge on Cristiano Ronaldo as they beat West Ham 1-0 on Saturday (22 January), according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee suggested Ronaldo’s reputation may have stopped Jon Moss awarding the spot-kick.
As shown on the BBC’s Match of the Day programme, Zouma brought the forward to the ground as he was played in behind the West Ham defence.
Moss waved away Man United’s appeals but Hackett insisted it was a “rugby” challenge and should have been punsihed.
He said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “I thought this was a penalty kick.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, referees have got to be consistent with pulling and holding inside the penalty area.
“The defender has got his left arm under the left arm of Ronaldo, that’s not football it’s rugby.
“Ronaldo goes to the ground and the reason he is theatrical, and this is what is happening in the game, is because he won’t get a penalty unless he’s theatrical. He doesn’t succeed on this occasion.
“The referee’s turned a blind eye to the holding and pulling as most of them do.
“Reputations should not impair the judgement of the referee. The judgement is, did the defender commit a holding offence? Does the defender have the right to wrap both arms around his opponent?
“The reaction of Ronaldo was, to a degree, theatrical because he knows that’s how he will get a penalty kick. The referee has gone ‘that’s theatrical, I’m not giving it’.
“This is where a reputation built over many years impairs the judgement of the referee. The referee is probably thinking ‘I’m not giving it, I want a belt and braces job’.”
In other news, Kieran Maguire has issued a critical Man United verdict after a £232million finance statement.