Former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett has criticised one of the key decisions in Tottenham’s clash with Arsenal.
After a closely contested first half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Arsenal took control after the break, eventually cruising to a 4–1 victory over their North London rivals.
A major flashpoint came early in the second half with Arsenal leading 2–1, when Randal Kolo Muani found the net. However, referee Peter Bankes ruled out the goal, judging that the Tottenham striker had pushed Gabriel Magalhaes in the back before scoring.
Hackett insists Tottenham’s second goal should have counted. While replays showed Kolo Muani placed a hand on Gabriel’s back, the Brazilian appeared to go down easily following minimal contact.
According to Hackett, the French forward was attempting to steady himself rather than shove the Arsenal defender. Speaking to Football Insider, he questioned the consistency of such decisions.
“The referee has to decide whether the Arsenal player is backing in,” Hackett said. “What makes it frustrating is that we often see grappling go unpunished, yet something as soft as this is penalised.
“It’s no surprise supporters are confused by the standard of these decisions. A push usually starts with a bent arm that then straightens. Here, the arm was straight, and the player was simply maintaining balance while holding his position.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor was highly critical of his side’s overall performance but chose not to dwell on the disallowed goal.
When asked about the decision, Tudor told Football.London: “You know how it is in the box. It’s always about referees here. They see things in their own way and make decisions based on that. Sometimes they let things go, sometimes they don’t. That’s football.”
Tudor later revealed he addressed his players following the disappointing defeat, focusing more on their display than the officiating controversy.
