Hackett: Vestergaard should not have been allowed to play v Liverpool after reveal
Jannik Vestergaard should have been serving a suspension instead of playing for Southampton against Liverpool, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-FIFA and Premier League referee admitted he was baffled the defender’s red card against Leicester City was overturned on appeal.
Vestergaard, 28, was sent off after 10 minutes in the clash between the two sides for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
However, days before Southampton’s game against Liverpool the red card was rescinded.
Saints boss told Sky Sports after the successful appeal he found it “difficult to understand” why VAR kept getting the big decisions wrong.
But Hackett hit back at the Southampton manager and insisted the original decision was correct.
He told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “Vestergaard shouldn’t have been playing against Liverpool, no.
“I’m clear on that. It’s a clear offence on Vardy and the probability of Vardy being able to control the ball is there.
“I don’t think the defender or the goalkeeper would have got the ball.
“I think this is a real poor judgement by the panel. Then one questions the validity of those members of the panel with regards to knowledge of the laws.
“What they might think is that if the offence takes place where a player attempts to get the ball is actually a yellow card and not a red. That’s only if it’s an offence inside the penalty area. That’s not the law.
“I’ve listened to one or two managers say ‘Attempt to play the ball, I don’t know why that’s a red.’ Because it’s outside the penalty area, mate.
“The principle of triple jeopardy only comes into play when it’s inside the penalty area.”
In other news, Liverpool are to open talks with a player on a £50million+ deal as a seven-year contract is mooted.