Keith Hackett has explained why Max Kilman was not shown a straight red card after giving away a penalty in West Ham’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday.

Callum Wilson scored twice to put West Ham 2-0 up before the controversy began. Bournemouth were awarded a penalty when Kilman used his arm to block Evanilson’s run, leaving Andoni Iraola furious that referee Tom Bramall didn’t send the defender off. Marcus Tavernier scored from the spot, and substitute Enes Unal grabbed another late equaliser against West Ham to make it 2-2.

Former PGMOL chief Hackett told West Ham Zone that Bramall made the correct call. He explained that Kilman avoided a red card because Aaron Wan-Bissaka was covering behind him, meaning it wasn’t a denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Iraola was left incensed, but Hackett insisted the Bournemouth manager had no reason to expect a dismissal.

Despite conceding late, Nuno Espirito Santo will be pleased to have taken a point, especially with West Ham now unbeaten in three games and up to 17th in the table. The outcome could have been worse if Kilman had been sent off or without Alphonse Areola’s important saves.

However, Kilman’s display prompted further concerns. Although he is currently in talks over a new contract, his performances need major improvement. Since joining West Ham in 2024, he has had no real competition for his place, and his recent form shows signs of complacency. In a relegation fight, the team cannot afford to throw away a two-goal lead due to careless mistakes. Right now, the only thing keeping the 28-year-old in the starting lineup appears to be the £40million fee the club paid for him. If West Ham are to stay up, they need full concentration from every player—something Kilman once again failed to deliver against Bournemouth.