‘Take another look’ – Keith Hackett unhappy after re-analysing Everton-Brighton controversy
Stuart Attwell too easily passed on the responsibility to VAR after Everton conceded a late penalty to Brighton, according to Keith Hackett.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the referee should have used the pitch-side monitor to inspect the handball decision against Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall instead.
Thanks to goals from Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner, David Moyes‘ side had a two-goal lead when the midfielder was harshly punished for blocking a shot, which struck his arm on the way to goal.
In the 77th minute, Danny Welbeck then stepped up to take the spot-kick, seeing his effort saved by Jordan Pickford, with many football fans suggesting that karma had been an influence on Sunday, 24 August.
Stuart Attwell passes on refereeing responsibilities
This article contains exclusive comments from ex-PGMOL chief, FIFA official and former professional referee Keith Hackett.
After awarding the penalty, Attwell listened at length to the VAR officials at Stockley Park, who watched replays of the incident, before not giving a reason for the penalty not to be given in the Seagulls’ 2-1 defeat.
James Tarkowski was punished against Leeds United for a similar decision, which saw the Toffees lose their opening game of the 2025/26 campaign, but Pickford was there to save the day this time.
Following both instances, Hackett is eager for referees to take more control of the situation, choosing to go over to the pitch-side monitor for a second view instead of trusting a different opinion.
Luckily for the Toffees, the controversial decision did little to mess with their historical afternoon at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Moyes’ side rising to eighth in the Premier League table.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall unfairly punished vs Brighton
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “I’m one who wants the referee to make the big calls. If there’s an element of doubt in that call, VAR should get involved.
“I would have liked VAR to come in and say, ‘Take another look‘. What they failed to recognise in this particular instance is that this is a snapshot, where the player, like many defenders, is holding his arm in an artificial position.
“When you’re jumping and spinning, your arm has got to be somewhere. I then refer back to the word ‘deliberate’. I want to see the criteria for a penalty being met.
“Is the body shape larger in this situation? I don’t think so. His hands and arms are in a natural position. Did his hand or arm make a deliberate movement towards the ball? No.
“Did he have the opportunity to get his hand out of the way? I don’t think he did. There is no doubt that the ball hit his arm, but it didn’t follow the law. It wasn’t a penalty kick.
“Assess the decision. I would have liked the referee to go over to the pitch-side monitor, but referees are happy for VAR to sort it out.”