Hackett hits out at VAR blunder in new take on Arsenal controversy
VAR should not have overturned Burnley’s penalty against Arsenal at the weekend, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-FIFA and Premier League official insisted Anthony Taylor’s decision was not a clear and obvious error and VAR should not have intervened.
Taylor pointed to the spot after Aaron Ramsdale came together with Matěj Vydra after he was sold short by a Ben White backpass.
However, after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor, the referee reversed his decision.
As quoted by the Daily Mail, Burnley boss Sean Dyche admitted he was “confused” by the outcome.
“I thought Anthony Taylor was right on this one when he awarded a penalty kick,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“If you look, the goalkeeper has veered the ball to the right and his momentum has taken him into his opponent.
“He awards a penalty kick and VAR came in. I would have stuck with the penalty kick decision. I thought he was right.
“There’s this argument in football that if you play the ball it exonerates you from any offence. This is careless.
“He’s cleared the ball and his momentum has taken the player down. That’s what he’s got to take care of.
“I was surprised that VAR came in because I don’t think it was a clear and obvious error.
“When referees are asked to look at the monitor, and this is what we want them to do, but on some instances, they’ve got to stand up and stick to their decision.
“But Anthony Taylor almost automatically said ‘No’. I think he was taking baggage into this game from midweek when he gave a yellow then a red and he hadn’t given the first yellow. Then you think ‘Oh my god’.
“To date, he has had a good season but I think Burnley should have had a penalty kick.”
In other news, Arsenal have been tipped to U-turn and bin a senior star after Sky’s out-of-window bid news.