By Keith Hackett

5th May, 2023 | 10:59am

Ex-Premier League referee can't believe 'awful' Nayef Aguerd footage at West Ham

Keith Hackett has insisted Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze should “never” have received a penalty against West Ham on Saturday (29 April) after “minimal contact” from Nayef Aguerd.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted the 24-year-old “absolutely bought” the decision from the officials.

As seen in footage posted to YouTube by Sky Sports (29 April), Crystal Palace’s Eze was immediately awarded a penalty by referee Craig Pawson after he looked to be fouled by West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd.

Replays showed the contact from the Morocco international was minimal, but VAR official Jarred Gillett chose to uphold the decision after a brief review.

Eze stepped up to dispatch the penalty to give Palace a 4-2 lead and set them on course for a 4-3 victory at Selhurst Park.

Speaking post-match and quoted by the Daily Mail (29 April), West Ham boss David Moyes questioned the officiating – labelling the decision “soft”.

Hackett told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “I looked at it, and I was thinking that VAR was surely going to come in.

“It’s a clear and obvious error, but there was no intervention.

“Pawson isn’t very good around the penalty area, but he finally chose to make a decision. It’s not an easy call to make.

“But this should never have been a penalty kick.

“Where is the brief around a light touch? If there was contact, it was absolutely minimal.

“Eze has absolutely bought the decision here – the defender has brushed him in the box. I thought it was an awful decision.”

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