Ex-Fifa referee: Maupay controversy ‘often goes unpunished’ as controversial Brighton-Crystal Palace footage analysed
Keith Hackett has insisted it was the “correct decision” to disallow Neal Maupay’s goal for a foul on Jack Butland as Brighton & Hove Albion drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace on Friday night (14 January).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed similar incidents go “unpunished” and it was a credit to Robert Jones that this incident did not.
As shown on the BBC’s Match of the Day programme, Maupay prodded the ball home after Butland had two hands on it after saving a Dan Burn header.
It did not stop the Frenchman from wheeling away in celebration only for the goal to be disallowed after Jones reviewed the footage on the pitchside monitor.
The corner from which the incident started came after Brighton had a penalty from Pascal Gross saved by Butland.
Asked whether he agreed with the decision to disallow the goal after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “Yes I do.
“We look at these decisions and a lot of them go unpunished.
“Credit to this referee for not being influenced and not taking a soft line. That’s a foul and that’s a free kick.
“For me, correct decision.”
With Brighton dominating the game a Conor Gallagher opener almost saw Crystal Palace return up the M23 with all three points.
Instead, Joachim Andersen scored an own goal with just three minutes remaining that meant the points were shared on the south coast.
A goal has now been scored in the last five minutes in the last four meetings between the two rivals, with three ending in draws.
In other news, the winner has been named in Crystal Palace’s race to sign a 24-year-old striker.