Ex-Premier League referee digs at Anthony Gordon as Everton v Newcastle United footage analysed
Everton star Anthony Gordon needs to stop going down too easily after he was punished in his side’s loss to Newcastle United.
That’s according to ex-FIFA and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the recent controversial scenes at St James’ Park.
In the first half of Newcastle’s 1-0 win over the Toffees on Wednesday (19 October) Gordon went down in the box under pressure from Dan Burn.
Gordon and his teammates screamed for a penalty while the Newcastle players reacted angrily, accusing the winger of going down too easily.
Fabian Schar and Gordon were booked in the aftermath of the challenge.
Hackett insists the referee was right to not award a penalty in this instance.
“There was [contact], but was there sufficient contact?” Hackett told Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs.
“I think it should have been a dubious penalty, had they awarded it. I support the referee here.
“This is the difficulty when a player starts to go down easily. Was there a real push? One of the signals to show if a little bit of a push has gone in is the way the player raises their hands.
“He’s saying ‘no, not me, not me’. I don’t think it was sufficient for a penalty to be awarded.”
Gordon has six goals and three assists in 59 Premier League games for Everton.
The England Under-21 international has found the net twice in 10 appearances this term.
In other news, Everton are lining up a £150million Bramley-Moore naming rights deal.