Keith Hackett disagrees with Gary Lineker over Robertson’s Liverpool red card
Keith Hackett has disagreed with Match of the Day host Gary Lineker over Andy Robertson’s recent red card for Liverpool.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former PGMOL chief, ex-FIFA, and Premier League referee believes that a red card was the right decision as it was “a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity.”
The 30-year-old was sent off during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against Fulham after he was deemed to have fouled Harry Wilson in the 17th minute of the game.
That was a decision that Lineker disagreed with as he explained on Match of the Day, “They didn’t seem to complain too much about it after the game, but I found it an extraordinary decision.”
The Reds spent the bulk of the game with 10 men after this decision, which did play a part in them being unable to push to win the game due to their numerical disadvantage.
Andy Robertson deserved his Liverpool red card
Hackett told Football Insider, “The judgment, as you can see, is the referee delayed his whistle which is surprising. If that player scores then clearly the law says he’s not denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, and it’s on the individual, the foul.
“Robertson fouled his man and at that particular point, he’s denied them the opportunity to score a goal. It would have been easier had the referee blown at that immediate time.
“With VAR they’re tending to delay their decisions.
“I disagree with Gary Lineker, this is a foul, the foul has denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and that’s the law.
“One of the things that we do when we are training referees is this, we ask them to visualise the situation where a player has committed the foul, take him out of that process if you can do that.
“Would that player without that foul have gone on to have a shot on goal, and the answer is yes, therefore in this situation, I don’t think there’s any doubt about it.
“This is the denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.”
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