Credit: Imago

Declan Carr

Sat 14 March 2026 19:35, UK

Everton‘s 2-0 loss to Arsenal on Saturday was marred with controversy.

David Moyes’ side were hoping to boost their European qualification chances with an upset over Mikel Arteta’s potential champions elect.

Keith Hackett, the ex-FIFA-listed referee has hit out over one decision in particular at the Emirates Stadium on 14 March.

It was a hard-fought encounter between Everton and the Gunners, and Viktor Gyokeres was the difference with an 88th-minute strike, before Max Dowman finished it off at the last.

What did Hackett say on Arsenal vs Everton incident?

Hackett believes that the hosts should have been awarded a penalty in the first half of the contest, when Everton ace Michael Keane and Kai Havertz tangled inside the area.

He thinks that the Toffees star pushed the German when they clashed in the 24th minute, although luckily for the Blues, Andy Madley and Stuart Attwell did not agree with that assessment of the incident.

Speaking exclusively to Goodison News, he said: “This is a foul on Havertz and an offence that should have resulted in the award of a penalty kick and a red card for the denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

“The VAR, Attwell, should have intervened on this clear and obvious error by Referee, Madley.

“More like the Chuckle Brothers- ‘To me, To you, To me. To you’.”

Everton served justice after Arsenal shambles last time

The Toffees will not care about Hackett’s verdict, ultimately, as they were denied a clear penalty in the reverse fixture in December.

To be fair, Hackett backed Moyes when he complained about the decision not to award his side a penalty in the 1-0 loss.

William Saliba fouled Thierno Barry in the 58th minute of the Hill Dickinson Stadium clash, but Sam Barrott failed to intervene and award the penalty.

Hackett claimed that Moyes’ complaints about Fulham being given a spot kick for a similar foul in the same matchweek were fully justified, and called on the head of the PGMOL, Howard Webb, to do better.

He said: “There will always be conflict when it comes to decision-making because of the subjectivity in various laws.

“One of the roles of the Head of Referees, Howard Webb or Hugh Dallas is to communicate with Managers and discuss situations in private.

“If PGMOL are failing to communicate in the instance, I would suggest by not meeting in this instance David Moyes at Finch Farm their training complex, the views of disappointment will be aired in public.

Do your job, PGMOL, you are a service provider to the stakeholders in the game.”

Moyes will just be happy that one went for his side this time, as so many calls have seemed to go against them already this season.

It is about time that a subjective decision went in the Blues’ favour, rather than the other way, as has happened far too often.