Hackett ‘infuriated’ as he reveals how Aston Villa controversy treated differently
Aston Villa may have been awarded a penalty against Manchester United for Mason Greenwood’s handball earlier in the season, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-FIFA and Premier League referee insisted it should not have been a penalty but similar incidents were punished by referees before Christmas.
Early in the second half Villa fired in a corner and Greenwood and Douglas Luiz both challenged for a header.
The ball appeared to strike Greenwood’s arm after Luiz’s header but referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR official Jarred Gillett did not adjudge the incident to be worthy of a penalty.
“I don’t think there’s any action that’s deliberate about that,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“But we’re inconsistent as a group of referees throughout the season.
“Handball throughout the season has been a problem area all season and that’s what’s infuriating. We had at the beginning of the season seen incidents like that where referees have awarded a penalty kick.
“It’s evident to me that they’ve come back on it.
“Incidents of this type in the season have been penalised.
“The whole question is, is the player deliberately handling the ball? Is there movement towards the ball? And the second one, is he deliberately making his body shape bigger?
“That’s why the element of doubt is there and that’s why the referee didn’t penalise it.”
Greenwood scored United’s second goal in their 3-1 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park.
It was his 16th Premier League goal – a record for a teenager representing Man United beating the previous holder Wayne Rooney’s tally of 15.
In other news, a West Brom rising star has headed to Aston Villa after permission granted.