Hackett: I would have sent off Martinez over Aston Villa controversy
Keith Hackett has suggested Emiliano Martinez was fortunate not to receive a red card as Aston Villa beat Newcastle United 2-0.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-FIFA and Premier League referee insisted Martinez had no intentions of playing the ball as he took Callum Wilson out.
The Newcastle forward was played in behind before he was clattered by the Villa goalkeeper and awarded a penalty.
Martinez was given a yellow card but spared a penalty as VAR judged Wilson to be marginally offside.
The yellow card was not rescinded because of VAR.
As quoted by BBC Sport, Steve Bruce bemoaned the impact of VAR on the game as Villa opened the scoring through a penalty.
Martinez’s foul on Wilson could have seen Newcastle make the scores 2-1 with 15 minutes left to play.
Asked for his assessment of the incident, Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “I think there was a case for a red card.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, he’s given a yellow because he (the referee) has judged it as reckless. Ok fine, that’s his judgement call.
“But I believe the goalkeeper had every intention of taking the forward out. I would have given a red.
“Then you’ve got the ability, within the process, for VAR to come in and you can make the judgement.”
Saturday’s game saw Martinez keep his first clean sheet of the Premier League season.
The Argentina international kept a joint club-record Premier League clean sheets last season (15).
In other news, Aston Villa could sign an England international “next week”.