‘I was screaming’ – Keith Hackett reveals how he actually felt when re-watching Newcastle controversy from new angle
Dan Burn did not deserve a second yellow card for his tackle on Dango Ouattara when Newcastle took on Brentford before the international break.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that the fact the decision to send the Newcastle man off could not be appealed was an “utter injustice.”
Dan Burn had a tough afternoon in West London as he was involved in a couple of major incidents against Brentford and his side went home empty-handed.
Dango Ouattara was booked for simulation under challenge from Burn on the hour mark, but just 13 minutes later the big Geordie defender received his marching orders for a foul inside the box on the Bees forward that resulted in a penalty kick.
Igor Thiago stepped up to score from the spot to make it 2-1, and Brentford beat Newcastle 3-1 in the capital as the striker notched a late brace for the three points.
Hackett blasts Dan Burn dismissal vs Brentford as footage re-analysed
Burn had been booked earlier for a pull on Ouattara and was sent-off in his third altercation with the Bees forward as he raced forward in the 73rd minute and was seemingly caught by the Newcastle defender as he entered the box.
Speaking exclusively on Football Insider’s Final Whistle show, Hackett insisted that the Newcastle and England man should not have been given a red and slammed the rules around not being able to appeal or review a second yellow card.
He said: “I have to say that, when Dan Burn got his second yellow-card, I really disagreed with that.
“I didn’t think there was an offence, I thought there was a coming-together, a natural coming-together. I don’t think there was a trip, I don’t think there was a pull, and I think Burn was very unlucky to get that second yellow card.
“Of course, yellow cards you can’t appeal at the moment, and I think that in itself is a total and utter injustice that I have been screaming about for years now.
“I’m glad to say that the IFAB are looking at whether, in fact, to bring in appeals on second yellow cards. If they do that, it’ll be a good move.”
Hackett wants IFAB to change second yellow card laws for VAR
Hackett spoke exclusively to Football Insider at the time of the decision about the change that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) must make to reduce the unfairness around decisions like the one that saw Burn sent off to now miss their upcoming game against Man City.
He said: “It’s not a foul. Instead, Burn is wrongly given a second yellow card. It highlights the unfairness in the game when a club is not allowed to appeal an incorrect second yellow card.
“Hopefully, in their debate and deliberations, the IFAB see the error of their ways. There is a lack of consistency coming out of the PGMOL, which is worrying. Where was VAR in all of this?
“Of course, the argument is that VAR can’t come in on a second yellow card, but what they can do is argue the penalty. I would have liked VAR to come in and get the decision overturned.”