Ex-Premier League referee: Hause should get extended ban as controversial Aston Villa footage emerges
Kortney Hause should have “100 per cent” been sent off as Aston Villa fell to a 4-1 defeat to West Ham on Sunday, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee admitted he was “bemused” Hause’s “forearm smash” on Pablo Fornals went unpunished.
Instead, it was Ezri Konsa who received a red card after his foul on Jarrod Bowen was upgraded from a yellow card.
The incident between Konsa and Bowen happened just after Hause’s robust challenge on Fornals.
Both incidents were reviewed by VAR but it was Konsa who was given his marching orders after the refereed reviewed the pitchside monitor.
A straight red card would have seen Hause handed a three-game ban meaning he would miss the games against Southampton, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace.
“I have no hesitation,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“I think for the referee and the VAR to miss what I saw as a forearm smash with force and with malice, the player knew what he was doing.
“That is 100 per cent a red card. He should have gone.
“I hope, to some degree, that the FA will ask the two officials if they saw the incident and if the answer is no, they missed it, then the FA will review it and take some action.
“They’re always reluctant to do that but just to ignore this one would be wrong.
“If they did check it, I’m bemused that they can say that is an acceptable challenge because it’s not.
“I have my doubts as to whether they checked the Hause scenario, in the way it should be.”
In other news, Newcastle United have set their sights on signing an Aston Villa star in January and £15million will seal the deal.