Exclusive: Keith Hackett – Burnley should have had penalty in clash v Everton
We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Everton.
Keith Hackett believes that Mason Holgate was lucky not to have given away a penalty when Everton hosted Burnley at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Less than a minute before Dwight McNeil scored the winning goal for the Clarets, Holgate was involved in a handball controversy, however Burnley’s claims were dismissed.
Holgate battled with Burnley defender Ben Mee to win the ball, and in their tussle the Everton full-back’s right arm was raised over his head, with the ball connecting. However, the VAR check saw referee Jon Moss wave play on.
Talking exclusively to Goodison News Hackett said of the incident: “I think that Burnley should have had a penalty and nobody was jumping up and down about that.
“I thought it was a really obvious penalty. His hand was above his head.
“I’m thinking they’ve both come across, he’s [Holgate] got his hand and arm well raised and the ball’s hit it.
“He knows exactly what he’s doing, the player, and that should have resulted in a penalty kick.
“Everton’s Holgate certainly had his arm raised and for me, that was a penalty kick.
“Martin Atkinson'[on VAR] is a very experienced referee but he didn’t see this at all and he didn’t ask Jonathan Moss to come and look at the screen.”
Having checked VAR during the incident, we can only assume that Mee was adjudged to have fouled Holgate prior to his arm connecting with the ball.
Either way, Burnley soon made Everton pay, scoring almost immediately afterwards with a fantastic solo effort from McNeil and then remaining defensively resolute throughout the second-half.
Everton have now lost two Premier League matches on the spin and will hope to get back to winning ways when they face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Goodison Park on Saturday.
In other Everton news, Ancelotti is interested in selling Lucas Digne in order to fund a move for Tottenham defender Sergio Reguilon.