Keith Hackett, a former FIFA referee, expressed his anger towards VAR official Neil Swarbrick for not granting West Ham a penalty during their defeat against Liverpool on Wednesday, writex the WHZ.
Despite a commendable effort from the Hammers, they felt that they were unfairly denied a penalty in the dying moments of the game when Thiago handled the ball in the penalty box while attempting to win a challenge. Although the ball struck his arm, the officials deemed that he was using it to cushion his fall, which did not qualify as handball.
However, Hackett disagreed with this decision and questioned why the referee did not review the incident on the pitch-side monitor or why he wasn’t asked to do so.
Well I am not surprised that David Moyes was unhappy. When a player falls to the ground the palm of his hand flattens to break the fall. This player went to ground to stop the ball. Where was Swarbrick VAR to advise the Referee to review and look at the monitor?
— KEITH HACKETT (@HACKETTREF) April 27, 2023
“Well I am not surprised that David Moyes was unhappy,” he wrote on his personal Twitter account (27 April).
“When a player falls to the ground the palm of his hand flattens to break the fall. This player went to ground to stop the ball.
“Where as Swarbrick VAR to advise the referee to review and look at the monitor.”
“It was a penalty kick and should have been reviewed.”