Ex-Premier League referee exposes major Southampton blunder as James Ward-Prowse footage analysed
Keith Hackett has insisted referee Graham Scott should have disallowed James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick as Southampton lost 2-1 away at Fulham on Saturday (31 December).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee accused Saints stars of forming part of the Fulham wall which was assembled to deal with the effort – something which is not permitted in the laws of the game.
As seen in footage from the Sky Sports Premier League YouTube channel (31 December), Ward-Prowse stepped up and dispatched a trademark free-kick from 25 yards to equalise for Southampton away at Fulham.
However, replays appeared to show that Saints star Armel-Bella Kotchap was closer to the Fulham wall than is allowed by law.
As per rules brought in by Ifab at the start of the 2019-20 season, where three or more defending team players form a wall, all attacking team players must remain at least one metre from the wall until the ball is in play.
Fulham went on to win the game 2-1 to keep Southampton at the bottom of the Premier League and lift themselves into seventh place.
Hackett told Football Insider: “The referee has got it wrong in law.
“This hasn’t been picked up at all, but the gap has got to be a metre.
“The goal should have been disallowed because the Southampton attacker has almost formed part of the Fulham wall.
“The law wasn’t fulfilled.”
In other news, Football Insider updates with Southampton boss at odds with stars on training ground.