Ex-Premier League referee ‘shudders’ as controversial Pedro Neto footage emerges from Wolves
Keith Hackett has admitted he “shuddered” when VAR was needed to rule out a Wolves goal in their 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Sunday (28 August).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted Peter Bankes should have spotted Pedro Neto’s push on Ryan Fraser.
With around 10 minutes to go at Molineux, Neto brought down Fraser to win a loose ball and carry it until the edge of the Newcastle penalty area before playing in Raul Jimenez who finished first time.
Bankes did not blow his whistle but VAR operator Michael Salisbury felt he had made a clear and obvious error so told him to overturn his decision.
Wolves were 1-0 up at the time but Allan Saint-Maximin rescued a point for Newcastle in the closing stages.
“That’s a straightforward push,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“The referee should have picked that one up. I don’t think Peter Bankes had one of his proper games.
“That’s a clear push, the referee should have seen that. The assistant referee is close and could have flagged but he didn’t.
“There is beginning to be this lazy attitude of an overreliance on VAR, it shouldn’t have even got to that position, that’s a foul, it’s a push.
“I just shudder.”
Wolves are next in action on Wednesday (31 August) when they travel to managerless Bournemouth.
They are yet to win this season and have only found the net on two occasions.
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