Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have had their say on the decision not to award Everton a penalty against West Ham United at London Stadium
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have been speaking about the decision not to award Everton a penalty at West Ham United
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have been speaking about the decision not to award Everton a penalty at West Ham United
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Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have joined the increasing chorus of prominent voices in football to hit out at the decision not to award Everton a penalty against West Ham United in their 2-1 defeat at London Stadium on Saturday.
The Blues were left stunned when they missed out on a spot-kick after Mateus Fernandes reached out for the ball and handled it in the area while marking Thierno Barry.
Referee Stuart Attwell failed to spot the offence on the pitch while VAR pair Michael Salisbury and Daniel Robathan didn’t recommend that it should be given either.
When asked whether a penalty should have been awarded, even Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo admitted: “I was scared.”
Subsequently, as first reported by The Times, the ECHO understands Everton chief executive Angus Kinnear plans to speak to officials at the PGMOL to raise concerns about the consistency of officiating in the Premier League.
Goodison News quote former Blues striker Lineker as remarking on The Rest Is Football podcast: “Did you see that handball? That’s a penalty, isn’t it?”
Shearer responded: “I just think it’s a ridiculous decision not to give that as a handball. And then for even what I heard about the grappling, it was only one player that was grappling.”
Lineker added: “[Fernandes] was not only fouling him [Barry] but also his hand moved to the ball. I don’t like the handball law, but that was a penalty all day long.”
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher, meanwhile, has agreed with Lineker and Shearer.
He said: "I think it's a penalty. He's handled the ball. If you take that chance like that. The feeling was that he accidentally caught the ball with his arm. I'm not so sure.
"I think most penalty handballs are accidental. Everyone knows if your arm is up and it hits it and stops a shot, it's going to be given."