Hackett: Ait-Nouri lucky to escape ban after major Wolves incident
Wolves defender Rayan Aït-Nouri was lucky not to receive a red card for his challenge on Rhian Brewster in his side’s 1-0 win over Sheffield United.
That is the view of ex-FIFA and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the incident that actually resulted in Brewster receiving a yellow card.
The two came together near the halfway line and Aït-Nouri appeared to stamp on Brewster’s ankle while he cleanly won the ball.
The incident was not reviewed by VAR and Brewster’s caution stood while Aït-Nouri went unpunished.
Asked for his assessment of the incident, Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “This is nonsense.
“Aït-Nouri comes in and he goes straight over the top and into the foot of the opponent. He’s not even attempted to play the ball.
“It’s a borderline red card. It’s incompetent of the referee to say Brewster is the offender. It’s Aït-Nouri who should’ve received a sanction.
“The difficulty for VAR is VAR might be seeing it as a yellow card, not a red.
“But for me, it should’ve come in on mistaken identity. I would stretch that criterion. Come in on mistaken identity and have a look. I would’ve wanted VAR to take a look.
“This guy, he’s got a long way to go to prove he’s a Premier League referee, Rob Jones. He’s not the best.
“He had Chris Kavanagh on VAR and I would’ve liked Chris to find a way to come into it.
“Clubs are not allowed to appeal against a yellow card.”
In other news, Wolves’ number one transfer priority this summer has been revealed and £30million will seal the deal.