Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has issued a strong statement after Crystal Palace were denied a late penalty against Liverpool in Sunday afternoon’s Community Shield final. The Eagles twice came from behind at Wembley Stadium to eventually pip the Premier League champions in a tense, if underwhelming, penalty shootout, with Dean Henderson’s two saves proving decisive.
Arne Slot’s side struck early, taking the lead inside five minutes when new signings Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike combined, with Ekitike’s low-driven shot finding the bottom right corner. That momentum seemed set to continue, but Jean-Philippe Mateta’s well-taken penalty punctuated Liverpool’s flow, and a late Ismaila Sarr goal cancelled out Jeremie Frimpong’s freak strike on 20:20. Watch the full highlights below:
However, many believe Palace should have been given the chance to avoid the pressures of a shootout after Alexis Mac Allister appeared to handle the ball in the box in the closing minutes. With VAR choosing not to intervene, Hackett has now weighed in on the controversy.
Former PGMOL Chief Slams Decision Not To Award Palace a Late Penalty
Oliver Glasner
Hackett, who spent 18 years as a referee and officiated high-profile matches such as the 1984 Charity Shield, described Chris Kavanagh’s decision not to award Palace a penalty - after Alexis Mac Allister clearly handled the ball and impeded Sarr late on - as “surprising.” He continued (watch the incident and his interview below):
"[Alexis] Mac Allister clearly handled the ball. The movement of the hand was towards the ball, therefore that's an offence, and that should be a penalty kick. I cannot understand why VAR did not come to the rescue of Chris Kavanagh and award Crystal Palace a penalty kick."
The alternative - and far less popular - view is that the midfielder’s handball actually helped bring the ball down, allowing Sarr to get a shot away before Milos Kerkez bravely threw himself in the way to block it. Crucially, Mac Allister wasn’t even looking at the ball when the incident occurred.
For the new season, the Premier League is set to maintain the handball guidelines introduced in 2024/25, aimed at reducing soft or overly harsh decisions. Referees will continue to assess factors such as arm position, body movement, deflections, and proximity.
A VAR expert has since explained that the decision was correct, noting that Mac Allister was in mid-jump - when players are naturally expected to have their arms out. It was his lack of eye contact with the ball, combined with the fact his raised arm was behind his body, that ultimately saw the 26-year-old avoid punishment.