Ex-Premier League referee stunned by ‘crazy’ decision as controversial Sean Longstaff image emerges from Newcastle United
Keith Hackett has claimed the decision not to award Newcastle United a penalty against Wolves on Sunday (28 August) was “crazy”.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee admitted he was “disappointed” that Peter Bankes did not spot the shirt pull on Sean Longstaff.
Matheus Nunes appeared to pull Longstaff’s jersey on the edge of Wolves’ penalty area as he prepared to play the ball.
Bankes waved away Newcastle’s appeals for a spot-kick and VAR official Lee Mason did not feel the need to intervene.
“The law is quite clear, a shirt pull is an offence,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“This was inside the penalty area therefore a penalty kick should be awarded. I was disappointed that referee Bankes didn’t see that offence.
“I wonder what this raising the bar situation means. Somebody came out and said the pull wasn’t hard enough or long enough, what absolute nonsense that is.
“That spokesperson needs to go and study the laws of the game because this was an offence every day.
“It’s football where we expect people to play with their feet. It’s crazy and disappointing.
“Let the referee’s referee and apply the laws of the game. They are skilful enough, because they are called elite referees, to know when they need to come in.
“I think that comment on raising the bar is just going to lead to inconsistency. The danger from that is the potential risk of injury, a small foul going unpunished can then lead to players taking liberties.
“I don’t want a game where is stopping every incident. The law allows referees to play advantages where they are applicable.
“Don’t raise the bar, put it where it should be which is on the basis of the laws of the game which includes advantage.”
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