Ex-Premier League referee: Michail Antonio ‘playing skittles’ with opponents as controversial West Ham footage emerges
Keith Hackett has claimed West Ham can have little complaint with their disallowed goal in the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday (14 August).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee accused Antonio of “playing skittles” with Orel Mangala at the City Ground.
As shown on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2 programme, the 32-year-old ran into Mangala just before Declan Rice played in Said Benrahma.
After Benrahma scored from close range, VAR official Michael Salisbury told referee Robert Jones to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.
Jones then overturned his original decision and chalked off the goal.
“This is where players have to be so careful with VAR because under the remit of VAR they can check it,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“It’s as much about the defender blocking the run as it is about the actions of Antonio.
“What’s going on here is, they’ve gone defensive the referees. The match officials have said ‘Right, OK, there’s an element of doubt’ and deemed it a foul.
“Once they deem it a foul, it obviously rules out the goal.
“It was a tough call for the match officials, VAR came in. Was that player, the defender blocking him off? These are difficult judgements. He’s had another look.
“Ultimately, the game’s about goals but VAR draws these things in now. Do I interfere? It’s credible for VAR to come in and once the referee sees it he’s got little option than to disallow it.
“Antonio was making the forward movement. You can view it from another angle and he’s taking out a defender, playing skittles with him.
“These are the calls that VAR is there for, so the referees can have another look on the day.”
In other news, Kieran Maguire has issued an “indefensible” West Ham verdict as fans are outraged.