Sky Sports pundit: Harry Kane penalty off Jordan Pickford ‘soft’ in Everton loss at Tottenham
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Harry Kane’s winning a penalty off Jordan Pickford in the Everton defeat at Tottenham was “soft” but justified, according to Kevin Campbell.
The Toffees keeper had been looking very good in the 2-0 loss on Sunday (16 October), before he suddenly spilled a second half shot and the England captain went over him as he attempted to rescue the situation.
Although there was no contact with the outstretched arm, Sky Sports pundit Campbell accepts that it was a spot kick because contact was made by the goalkeeper’s head inside the area, allowing Kane to make the most of it.
He exclusively told Goodison News that the circumstances made it possible for the referee to give it, saying: “That’s exactly it you see. Week after week we talk about we don’t know what penalties are.
“But if there’s contact in the box, we said this about [Arsenal’s Gabriel] Jesus the previous week, if a player goes for the ball and makes contact with a forward the referee has to make a decision.
“I think it’s a soft penalty but I accept it’s a penalty because he did make contact with Harry Kane. Harry Kane made the most of it, but so what? He did make contact.
“If he doesn’t touch him Harry Kane can’t go down, so it’s soft, yes. But that’s probably why Jordan Pickford didn’t even make a complaint.”
Had Campbell spent his two decades-long playing career as a goalkeeper rather than a goalscorer he might have had a less charitable interpretation.
Pickford appeared not to argue with the decision because he knew that he had caused the situation by not holding onto the original shot.
Kane was always going to go down once the situation played out the way it did, and ultimately the contact between Pickford’s head and the striker’s thigh made it impossible to overturn even if it didn’t actually seem like a foul in itself.
It was a frustrating way for the game to turn away from Frank Lampard’s side but the attacking team will always want a penalty in that sort of situation, while the defending team will feel hard done by.