Keith Hackett reacts to Lewis Dunk’s ‘offence’ on Cole Palmer in Brighton v Chelsea
Brighton defender Lewis Dunk committed an “offence” during a clash with Cole Palmer during the Seagulls’ FA Cup win over Chelsea, Keith Hackett has said.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the centre-back “got away with one” after striking the attacker with his arm inside his own penalty area.
After a 7-0 humbling by Nottingham Forest the previous week, Brighton secured the perfect response on Saturday (8 February) with that 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the AMEX.
However, Fabian Hurzeler’s side may have found themselves fortunate over some instances in the game, including a possible penalty they might have conceded early in the second half.
Lewis Dunk took Cole Palmer risk in FA Cup clash
It was Chelsea who took the lead just five minutes into this game when Palmer’s innocuous looking cross was spilled into his own net by the hosts’ goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen.
The Seagulls though equalised moments later when Georginio Rutter headed home from a Joel Veltman cross.
Before half-time, there was then an argument that Brighton were lucky not to concede a penalty following an incident between Dunk and Palmer.
With the defender in possession inside his own penalty area, Palmer moved towards the 33-year-old in an attempt to close him down.
In response to that, Dunk appeared to look directly at Palmer before throwing his arm out, which caught his opponent in the face, and sent him to ground.
Referee Jarred Gillett did not penalise the Brighton man for the incident, and with VAR not in operation at this stage of the FA Cup that decision could not be overturned.
Keith Hackett reacts to Chelsea penalty claim vs Brighton
Speaking to Football Insider about the decision not to punish Dunk for that challenge on Palmer, Hackett said:
“I think he knew exactly what he was doing the defender. He’s got away with one. In black and white when you look at that, the defender’s committed an offence.
“What makes it worse here for the referee is there’s no real, other than putting the arm out to impede his opponent, there’s no violence, there’s no serious foul play in terms of illegal use of the the elbow.
“So the other question you have to ask is why did Cole Palmer go down as though he’d been hit with a lorry?
“This is what makes life difficult for referees, and I think what is important is this: if you’re going to give a penalty kick, you want to be 100% certain.
“So for me I think there’s an element of doubt and I think the referee rightly has said play on and not penalised for that reason.”
Chelsea would be further frustrated by the officials after Karou Mitoma’s winning goal for Brighton was not ruled out for handball by Tariq Lamptey in the build up.
Defeat in that game means the UEFA Conference League is now the Blues’ last realistic hope of silverware this season.
That come after a recent poor run the club and Palmer putting pressure on manager Enzo Maresca in the Chelsea dugout.