Former Premier League official Keith Hackett has blasted referee David Coote for his two mistakes in Chelsea’s win over Newcastle United on Sunday.
Kai Havertz’s superb late goal sealed the victory for Thomas Tuchel’s side at Stamford Bridge.
But Newcastle felt aggrieved after two major decisions went against them in the clash. The first came in the first half when Havertz received just a yellow card for an elbow on Dan Burn.
Newcastle were also denied what appeared to be a clear penalty in the second half when Trevoh Chalobah brought down Jacob Murphy in Chelsea’s area.
Chalobah did not appear to win the ball while the Blues defender was pulling Murphy’s shirt. Coote chose not to award a penalty, while VAR official John Brooks did not call the referee to review what happened on the pitchside monitor.
‘David Coote is having a bit of a mare,’ Hackett, the former head of the PGMOL, wrote on Twitter during the match. ‘Havertz should have received a red card for his high elbow into the face of Newcastle’s Burn.
‘In the second half Chelsea’s number 14 holds the shirt of his opponent then pushes him over with left arm. Penalty kick to Newcastle not awarded.
‘We need Nigel Owens on this holding offence don’t we. It is so obvious a penalty kick. If I was Eddie Howe I would be asking [PGMOL chief] Mike Riley to explain.’
When asked about his elbow on Burn after the match, Havertz told Sky Sports: ‘People know me not as a player who does things like this.
‘This guy is like seven, eight foot and I have to jump against him. You have to use arms to jump and when I jump he is higher than me, so it is tough.
‘I can say sorry because I saw he was hurt and feel bad, but you cannot tell me I did this on purpose.’
