Arsenal v Tottenham controversy: Ex-PGMOL chief reacts to instant shock footage
Arsenal should not have been awarded a corner that led to their opening North London Derby goal against Tottenham, according to Keith Hackett.
Dominic Solanke scored in his own net at the Emirates on Wednesday night to cancel out Son Heung-min’s opener.
However, the corner the own goal was committed from should have been a goal-kick with replays clearly showing the ball striking Leandro Trossard’s leg before it went out of play.
Former FIFA and Premier League referee Hackett believes that it was a tough call to make but if in doubt, the referee should award a goal kick.
“The ball certainly appears to strike Trossard before it goes out of play,” Hackett told Tottenham News.
“When you are out in the middle you are looking for help from your assistant referee.
“Frankly, when you are faced with such a close call and you are unsure then it becomes safer to award a goal kick.
“And, just to confirm, under the VAR criteria, they cannot come in on a wrong corner kick decision.
“That is not in the criteria.”
Tottenham on rough end of Arsenal controversy
Not only did Arsenal get themselves back on level terms against Spurs with that Solanke own goal, but they also used it as a platform to ensure they went in at half-time ahead.
Son’s 25th-minute goal was a blinder but that Solanke own-goal in the 40th minute was a bit of a sickener for Spurs.
Instead of trying to hold onto the level scoreline at half-time, they seemed to go forward in search of their second goal with the full-backs bombing on too soon when the ball was in Spurs’ half.
That led to Ange Postecoglou’s men losing possession and Trossard, who was heavily involved in the controversy for the first goal, scoring in the 44th minute to make it 2-1 to the Gunners.
In other Tottenham news, Pedro Porro was humiliated against the Gunners.
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