Former referees' chief Keith Hackett has slammed the decision not to red card Brighton’s Joao Pedro for his challenge on Christian Walton during last night’s 2-0 defeat to the Seagulls and says believes the officials involved should be spoken to regarding the incident.

Pedro jumped into Walton at pace with the ball already well gone in the 53rd minute of last night’s match, his shoulder making solid contact with the the keeper’s face, leaving the former Albion man needing treatment and perhaps still feeling the effects when Kaoru Mitoma scored the opening goal six minutes later.

Referee Tony Harrington showed only a yellow card, a decision backed up by VAR official Michael Salisbury.

But Hackett, a former Premier League and FIFA official and one-time general manager of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), says they got the decision wholly wrong.

“This is a nailed on red card for serious foul play,” he told Football Insider. “He knows exactly what he is doing. This is a challenge with excessive force that endangers the safety of the goalkeeper.

“Referees should not await the outcome to see if the goalkeeper is injured or not. Totally unacceptable and I would suggest that the referee and VAR require some operational advice.”

Hackett outlined the law relating to serious foul play: “A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.

“Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”

Photo: Action Images via Reuters

blues1 added 15:43 - Jan 17 Lightening boy. Don't disagree with you as to what thd vote may be. But it'd be a bit ironic, that forebears before var was introduced, fans were demanding for technology coming in. But now,we have it, bcse there are still errors being made, suddenly fans don't want it. Actually think it's the way it's used that is the problem. Need to forget the clear and obvious error , and just allow the var referees to alter the decision, if they think the ref has got it wrong. The clear and obvious directive sumply means they'll just back the referee more often than not. Regardless of whether his,decision is right or wrong.

1

BurleysGloryDays added 15:48 - Jan 17 It was a disgusting and disgraceful challenge. Stonewall red. Poor Ipswich still not getting a capable ref.
2

BobbyBell added 16:14 - Jan 17 The ref must be looking at it now and wondering himself why VAR didn't advise him to look at it It was so dangerous and Walton could have been seriously hurt. The EPL is a joke when it comes to it's double standards.
1

Distant_Blue added 16:15 - Jan 17 SpiritOfJohn, I was going to say the same thing...look how far in front of Walton he is when he jumps. Watching the replays from the same angles VAR would have had makes the decision even more incredible.
1

timetraveler added 16:18 - Jan 17 I think that the footage being looked at by far and the conversation between the referee and var should be broadcast live to the stadium as they do when I have watched international rugby. No hiding in that scenario
2

timetraveler added 16:20 - Jan 17 VAR not far
0

RIPbobby added 16:24 - Jan 17 Rules need to be made clear.
0

bluebullet29l added 17:10 - Jan 17 It's assault...simple and delap would of got a straight red for the same offence.... can you imagine the Brighton players and managers reaction if delap had done it....say no more. This league is a farce
6

Bazza8564 added 17:29 - Jan 17 The way VAR works and the luck we've had with refs this season I'm surprised it wasnt given as a penalty....
1

OldFart71 added 17:30 - Jan 17 Isn't this just one decision in a long line of decisions going against us. Whilst I don't want to sound like a whinger using excuses for our failures we have been denied penalties and had penalties against us, been given cards when other teams consistently foul and nothing is given. There has to be a problem otherwise why would our CEO ask for a meeting with officials to discuss VAR. Frankly it is no better and probably worse than relying on the officials and has just added "Jobs for the boys" whilst costing newly promoted clubs a fortune to set up.

1

bluelad7 added 17:32 - Jan 17 Disgraceful, could have broken a rib or worse. Cowardly attack knowing exactly what he was doing.
2

armchaircritic59 added 18:33 - Jan 17 I initially posted in another post that I thought the yellow was correct and not a red, based on everything I saw watching at home, from different angles. I think I may have been wrong, as I seem to be in a very large minority, and as the majority includes Keith Hackett, who does know a thing or two about refereeing, I'll bow to his experience! Things like this will always be subjective, decisions in the end are still all made by humans, not technology. They will get some wrong, the nature of the beast, no one's perfect. Looks like in this case we came out the wrong side, in which case, let's hope it evens itself out!

1

Rozeeboy74 added 19:01 - Jan 17 Now the game is over, any action is pointless. Where has our chance to play against 10 men gone? Retrospective ban just benefits other teams who don't have to go up against this total ****house.
1

Zondervantheman added 19:14 - Jan 17 God help opposition goal keepers now that Liam Delap knows that sort of challenge is not a red card….
1

adepowers added 20:38 - Jan 17 I believe what Hackett is actually saying is: ....... I would suggest that the referee and VAR require some Super High Intensive Training
0

Bluealldaylong added 13:19 - Jan 18 Shocking, the players are role models to our children My son is a budding goalkeeper, what does this say is acceptable to the young strikers he faces on a sunday? I guess A&E will be kept busy
1

Daniel72 added 22:11 - Jan 18 VAR is a circus... it seems that referees and linesmen do just as well without it... decisions will go for and against us... we have had a few recently so shouldn't complain too much... but yes this one was wrong... assault on our keeper after we were doing well... then the game changed...
0

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls