Man United news: Ex-Fifa official demand change after analysing Harry Maguire controversy
Keith Hackett has called for the administration of VAR to change after Man United captain Harry Maguire’s accidental stamp on Armando Broja.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League official claimed referees should be allowed to use the pitch-side monitor to double check decisions.
As pictured by The Sun (12 February), Maguire stamped on Broja’s calf in Man United’s 1-1 draw with Southampton on Saturday.
However, the centre-half escaped punishment after on-field referee Stuart Attwell and VAR official Jarred Gillett deeming the contact accidental.
Hackett revealed he’s ‘worried’ about Maguire and his recklessness.
“The laws of the game produce is a range of challenges which can be deemed as careless, reckless or using excessive force,” he told Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs.
“In this case, they have adjudged that this was accidental rather than excessive force. The referee will have also been asking himself, ‘Was it avoidable?’
“From the photo, it doesn’t look good. I worry about Harry Maguire. He has loose arms and loose feet at the moment.
“This is where I have a problem with VAR. VAR has had a look at it and made a call but for me, this one is where the referee should be able to double check it on the monitor. Under the current criteria you cannot do it though because when referees look at VAR, they are automatically going with it.
“For VAR to work efficiently, let the referee determine whether the Harry Maguire incident was a deliberate stamp, not the guy at Stockley Park.”
In other news, a pundit has claimed Man United are ‘dishevelled’ and ‘a mess’ after ‘worrying’ reveal.