Ex-Premier League referee savages '100% wrong' Elliot Anderson decision as Newcastle United controversy analysed
Keith Hackett has insisted there was "absolutely nothing wrong in law" with Elliot Anderson's second-half strike for Newcastle against Nottingham Forest on Friday (17 March).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted the offside law is currently "poorly written" and is "too subjective" for officials to come to consistent verdicts.
As seen in footage posted to Twitter by the Sky Sports Premier League account (17 March), Forest defender Felipe attempts to make a clearance which deflects off Longstaff - who was stood in an offside position.
The ball is then recycled into the Forest box by Alexander Isak and nodded home by young midfielder Elliot Anderson.
Despite no appeals from the Forest fans or players, referee Paul Tierney was instructed to check the pitchside monitor and subsequently ruled the goal out as Felipe was judged to have not made a "deliberate play" at the ball.
As per Law 11 in the IFAB's Laws of the Game, clearing the ball (by kicking or heading) is classed as deliberate play.
Nevertheless, Newcastle went on to claim a 2-1 victory through an Isak brace to keep their hopes of a top-four finish alive.
Hackett told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “The defender, in trying to defend, kicked the ball onto the Newcastle player. It's a deliberate play at the ball.
“The young lad has scored – and there was absolutely nothing wrong in law with the goal.
“It’s so sad that the match officials, in reviewing it, still got the decision wrong.
“The VAR clearly had a doubt – but it was 100% the wrong decision.
“We can put 100 referees in a room there and have a split decision. The law is poorly written, it’s too subjective.
“Howard Webb has got to make a change to this. He’s had a short window to change things – but we’re not seeing any improvement at the moment.”