Keith Hackett blasts Mike Dean for ‘major error’ in West Brom v Liverpool
We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett as our exclusive West Brom columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Keith Hackett has heavily criticised Mike Dean for his role in the build-up to Liverpool’s first goal against West Brom on Sunday.
The referee stopped play because he collided with Fabinho, handing possession back to the Reds, with Mohamed Salah scoring moments later.
It ultimately cost West Brom points and Hackett was astonished the referee made such a glaring error.
In an exclusive interview with West Brom News Hackett was asked if Dean deserves the criticism he has received since the match finished.
“Rightly so, he’s got in the way,” the former Premier League referee answered.
“Mike Dean invented a foul, that he committed. He’s a very experienced referee, he’s in the middle. He’s done the right thing, if you’re in the way of players, stand still, stop.
“He’s stood still which is exactly what he should do.
“The only stoppage at that point that he can give is if the ball strikes him. There’s no way there’s a foul, there’s no way the ball’s struck him.
“He’s just out of thin air given a foul. It’s a clanger, it’s a major error. He can smile about it but it impacted in the result of a goal.
“It wasn’t a free-kick, it wasn’t a drop ball. He cannot give a drop ball, the ball has to strike him…he is part of the field of play.
“There’s no other action in this situation other than, allow the play to continue. It’s 100% wrong.”
Shocking decision
Dean made a huge blunder by inventing a rule to stop play, and once again it had to be Albion on the receiving end of a bad decision.
And if that call was not bad enough, Dean and his colleagues also ruled out a perfectly good goal in the second half.
Matt Phillips was judged to be impeding Alisson from an offside position but the Liverpool goalkeeper was never going to stop Kyle Bartley’s effort [Sky Sports].
The keeper of course scored but that was the goal that should not have happened, as it came in the 96th minute – only five were added on.
We can feel very sorry for ourselves as our good performance was not met with the suitable reward.
Hopefully the players put their frustrations from this match into the game against West Ham on Wednesday.
In other West Brom news, Chris Lepkowski drops huge claim about West Brom 21/22 home kit that may have fans fuming.
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