Credit: Imago, Footballontntsports

Evan Lloyd

Sun 8 March 2026 14:21, UK Updated Sun 8 March 2026 15:09, UK

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Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett was shocked by Rodrigo Muniz’s disallowed goal in Fulham’s 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Southampton on Sunday.

Ross Stewart’s stoppage-time penalty secured the Saints’ place in the quarter-final after Joachim Andersen fouled Finn Azaz.

Just 19 minutes into the clash, the home side thought they had taken the lead when the Brazilian capitalised on a bizarre moment.

Southampton goalkeeper Daniel Peretz had attempted to take a quick goal kick but instead thumped the ball into the back of defender Ryan Manning, with the ball falling to Muniz to score.

Referee Jarred Gillett blew his whistle before the goal went in, however, and appeared to be explaining that he had not given the goalkeeper permission to take the kick yet.

Keith Hackett reacts to bizarre Fulham goal

Fulham instantly reacted with shock at the referee’s decision to disallow the goal, and it is easy to see why.

It was Peretz’s decision to take the goal kick quickly, and his own mistake to drive it into the back of his own teammate.

Hackett exclusively told Football Insider that Fulham should have conceded a penalty against West Ham earlier this week, but they appear to have been on the wrong side of a potential mistake on Sunday.

“This is clearly an interesting situation, for rarely have I seen a referee signal for a goal kick to be taken,” he explained.

“The goalkeeper decided to take a quick goal kick, and it struck his colleague and rebounded into the goal. Whilst there are still Fulham players in the penalty area, none of them attempted to play the ball or challenge for it.

What the law says:

• If, when a goal kick is taken, any opponents are inside the penalty area because they did not have time to leave, the referee allows play to continue. If an opponent who is in the penalty area when the goal kick is taken, or enters the penalty area before the ball is in play, touches or challenges for the ball before it is in play, the goal kick is retaken.

“I would be very disappointed if I was the Fulham boss to see this goal ruled out because the referee states he is not ready. Why should the referee cover for the goalkeeping error.”

“The opponents made no attempt to play the ball,” Hackett added. “Rarely have I seen a goalkeeper signal for a goal kick to be taken.”

Fulham to feel hard done by

Especially as they would go on to lose, Marco Silva and Fulham will feel that they have been wronged by Sunday’s key decision.

While the referee had blown the whistle before the ball went into the goal, it was the Southampton goalkeeper who made the decision to take it.

Referees are often seen hurrying up goalkeepers to take goal kicks, or stopping them in the event of a VAR check.

But there was no such incident, in this case, and Fulham can feel they have come on the wrong end of a rare decision.