Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has shared his thoughts on a contentious moment during Derby County’s recent defeat.
In an intense game at Pride Park, Derby County faced their first home loss of the 2024/25 Championship season as Norwich City clinched a narrow 3-2 victory.
Despite the defeat, Paul Warne could find positives in Corey Blackett-Taylor’s impactful substitute appearance and Craig Forsyth’s commendable performance filling in for the injured Callum Elder.
Yet, the match was marred by a controversial incident: Norwich City’s opening goal, scored by Borja Sainz with a stylish back-heel past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, was allowed to stand despite an apparent out-of-play situation during Josh Sargent’s assist.
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett, disheartened by the decision, criticized the officiating. Reflecting on the incident, Hackett expressed his disappointment, stating, “I would be very disappointed if my assistant referee did not flag that the ball was out of play. Not good officiating.”
The match’s officiating woes didn’t stop there. A subsequent goal from Sainz for Norwich City saw another instance where the ball seemed to have gone out of play, raising further questions about the quality of refereeing.
This controversy has reignited the ongoing debate about the necessity of VAR in the Championship and other English football leagues. The lapses in officiating during the Derby County-Norwich City clash highlight the potential impact of VAR in correcting erroneous calls that can significantly affect match outcomes.
With at least one, if not all three points potentially slipping away from Derby County due to officiating errors, the case for introducing VAR in the Championship grows stronger. The missed calls in such a competitive match only underscore the pressing need for a revamp in the current officiating standards in English football’s second tier.
