Ex-PGMOL chief urges IFAB to address ‘unfairness in the game’ after ‘unacceptable’ Newcastle controversy vs Brentford
Newcastle United’s crushing defeat to Brentford is reason enough for the IFAB to make key changes to retrospective action.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that referee Stuart Attwell made an “unacceptable” mistake at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Eddie Howe was slammed by Newcastle supporters during the 3-1 defeat on Sunday, 9 November, despite Harvey Barnes taking the lead away from home after just 27 minutes.
Igor Thiago has been in red-hot form for the Bees, grabbing another two goals at the weekend, after Kevin Schade netted an equaliser. Of course, a sending-off completely changed the game.
Dan Burn was wrongly sent off as Newcastle lost to Brentford
Already on a yellow card, Dan Burn was believed to have taken down Dango Ouattara in the penalty area, before a VAR review convinced Attwell to overturn the decision in the Magpies’ favour.
Instead, Ouattara was shown a yellow card for an act of simulation. However, 12 minutes later, in the 73rd minute, the Newcastle left-back was finally shown a second yellow card and, subsequently, sent off.
There was a lot of debate over each decision, with many supporters believing that the first foul, which the Brentford attacker was eventually booked for, was more of a penalty than the second one.
Either way, it left Howe’s side with 10 players for the final 20 minutes of the game, and in that time, Keith Andrews‘ side sealed all three points.
With Hackett in complete disagreement with the decision, the former head of the PGMOL has suggested that being able to appeal against second yellow cards would have a positive impact on the game.
Keith Hackett wants Premier League clubs to appeal against wrong second yellow cards
Hackett spoke exclusively to Football Insider about the major change that the IFAB could make to soften the blow of mistakes like Burn’s sending off against Brentford.
“It was unacceptable, frankly. A referee operating at Premier League level, with the experience he has, should recognise, first of all, even with the aid of VAR, a deliberate trip by Dan Burn should be a penalty kick,” he said.
“For some unknown reason, they didn’t give it, and that was alarming. It didn’t mean that Burn had to receive a second yellow card. But through what they’ve seen and what VAR, who must have been out making a cup of tea, have missed, they don’t give a penalty kick.
“Then, a natural chase of the ball, and the forward decides to go to ground – it’s not a foul. Instead, Burn is wrongly given a second yellow card. It highlights the unfairness in the game when a club is not allowed to appeal an incorrect second yellow card.
“Hopefully, in their debate and deliberations, the IFAB see the error of their ways. There is a lack of consistency coming out of the PGMOL, which is worrying. Where was VAR in all of this?
“Of course, the argument is that VAR can’t come in on a second yellow card, but what they can do is argue the penalty. I would have liked VAR to come in and get the decision overturned.”