Exclusive: Michael Oliver hailed for Ipswich call after Arsenal controversy
Michael Oliver bounced back impressively from a busy and controversial week to rightly deny Ipswich a penalty against Southampton, Keith Hackett has said.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the referee did well to keep his focus at Portman Road on Saturday (1 February) in light of recent events.
But with the referee back in Premier League action as Ipswich hosted Southampton, Hackett was impressed with the way the official controlled the game, and one particular incident.
Ipswich denied penalty as Michael Oliver keeps his focus
With the score locked at 1-1 between the sides who occupy the bottom two places in the Premier League, the hosts felt they should have been given what might have been a crucial penalty.
After picking up possession inside the Southampton half, Ipswich striker Liam Delap carried the ball into the box, where he then looked to get past Jan Bednarek.
However, he would instead go down after being caught in the face by the hand of the Saints defender as both jostled for position, prompting appeals for a penalty.
Oliver though did not award, leading to Hackett praising the referee after a busy week in which he also oversaw Barcelona’s home match against Atalanta in the Champions League.
Speaking to Football Insider about that decision not to award Ipswich a penalty, Hackett said:
“I’m not giving a penalty kick for that. When you’re looking at contact with hand or arm in the face of an opponent, you’re actually looking for a clenched fist, and a backward movement of the arm.
“This is a bit out-stretched, yes it’s a bit up but it’s not enough for a penalty kick. And one thing, after all the controversy last week with this referee, Michael Oliver, he had a busy week.
“Because on Wednesday night he was in Barcelona, he arrived back late Thursday, he then goes back to Newcastle where he lives and then he’s got to get on Friday, presumably evening, down to Ipswich.
“So he’s had a very busy week, controversial week, but in fairness to him, his performance in Barcelona was outstanding, and this might be deemed because of the position, low level, I though he had a good game.
“Good on him to overcome fairly quickly the previous controversial weekend that he had. I was calling for a two week sort of kicking it in the long grass.
“The reason behind that is not to penalise but to actually allow some sort of recovery and recognition that he could have handled earlier in the week much better.
“I think there’s a degree of complacency in his officiating in that match the previous week, on this one I’m supporting his decision.
“I think from his point of view he’s had a hectic week and it’s good that he maintained the concentration level and got through the game without much controversy.”
Paul Onuachu’s late close-range finish secured a 2-1 win for the visitors, meaning Ipswich are now three points from safety.
They will have seen this as an opportunity missed against a Southampton side who are rooted to the foot of the table and have still taken just nine points from 24 league games this season.
In other news, Kieran McKenna has been told to drop one Ipswich player if he wants to avoid relegation.
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