Ex-Premier League referee: ‘No question’ Tottenham are victims of major injustice as Dier footage analysed
Tottenham should have had a penalty in their 1-0 win over Watford on Saturday (1 January), according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed Eric Dier was “hauled to the ground” by Juraj Kucka after a free-kick.
Heung-min Son floated the ball in but Dier was not able to attack it as he was dragged back by Kucka.
Despite appeals from the Spurs defender referee Rob Jones allowed the game to continue, as shown by the BBC’s Match of the Day programme.
Tottenham eventually secured the three points with a Davinson Sanchez winner deep into stoppage time.
It extends Antonio Conte’s unbeaten run in the Premier League as Spurs boss to eight games as they continue to climb the table under the new manager.
“Just before half-time Dier was hauled down inside the penalty area and nothing was given,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“I thought that should have been a penalty kick.
“This is the inconsistency in match officials. He’s hauled to the ground, he’s held.
“For me, that’s an easy penalty kick decision. Robert Jones the referee was not in a good position to judge that.
“There’s no question that should have been a penalty.”
The win leaves Tottenham in sixth position in the Premier League table and they would go into the top four if they win their two games in hand over Arsenal.
They host their north London rivals in their next top-flight game but have the small matter of both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final with Chelsea and an FA Cup tie with Morecambe before then.
In other news, an insider is absolutely certain about a potential ‘£100m’ transfer to Tottenham.