Keith Hackett reacts as footage of West Brom ace Jayson Molumby emerges v England
Keith Hackett believes the referee made the right call when cautioning West Brom star Jayson Molumby and Harry Kane for an incident in the England versus Ireland game on Sunday.
England ran out 5-0 winners at Wembley in a demolition job over Ireland on 17 November, although an incident between Molumby and Kane earned some attention.
The pair were involved in a grapple, as footage shared by ITV on X shows [17 November], with the West Brom midfielder ending up on the floor holding his face with both players receiving a yellow card for their involvement.
Speaking exclusively with West Brom news, Hackett, an ex-FIFA referee and PGMOL chief, said: “This was the right call. Players have to have some self-control on the field of play. What we see here is not football, and as a consequence, both deserved a yellow card for pulling.
“The referee’s authority is challenged in that situation and he has to reassert his authority and make sure it doesn’t continue. A yellow is better than red and if it was allowed to escalate that may have happened. I think this was good refereeing.”
Jayson Molumby caution warranted for Republic of Ireland
All in all, Molumby let his side down in more ways than one, after his play-acting antics in the encounter.
The West Brom midfielder wasn’t at the races against England and has faced criticism for his performance as 10-men Ireland were taught a footballing lesson by the Three Lions.
If Molumby is going to play a role in West Brom’s season going forward, he is going to need to improve on performances like that of Sunday or else he will find himself out of the team.
With 31 games still to be played, the Baggies have every chance of achieving success this season, but failure to live up to the standards set by their early campaign form will hinder those hopes massively.
In other West Brom news, Carlos Corberan has suggested that they are always one week from “crisis” after their recent run of draws.
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