Ex-Uefa official: West Ham profit from major injustice as controversial Michail Antonio footage emerges
Michail Antonio’s goal as West Ham beat Fulham 3-1 last weekend (9 October) should have been disallowed for handball, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Uefa and Premier League referee questioned the consistency of the application of the handball law after Marcus Rashford had a similar goal ruled out during Man United’s 3-1 win over Everton later that day.
As shown on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2 programme, Antonio appeared to handle the ball when he controlled a pass that led to his goal.
His initial shot was saved by Bernd Leno but he eventually found the net from the rebound.
“I think Antonio’s one should have been struck off, handball,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“If you are going to disallow Rashford’s, then you’ve got to disallow this one.
“The whole thing is that out of the PGMOL currently there is an inconsistency with this group of referees.
“The weekend highlighted it by different decisions for similar offences. Antonio’s is allowed, Rashford’s wasn’t. The one at Newcastle’s was a penalty, the one at Arsenal wasn’t.
“Somebody please sit down at the PGMOL and coach these referees and set an example. This is a lack of leadership, I’ve talked about it before. Who is in charge and what are they doing about the lack of consistency?
“As a so-called referee expert, I get confused. I’m not confused because I read the law and understand it. But I look at referees who are inconsistent across the group, not just individually, on handball.”
In other news, there has been a big update on a West Ham naming rights deal after a £4million reveal.