PGMOL has come under renewed criticism following West Ham United’s defeat to Aston Villa, with claims that officials failed to clamp down on key issues that angered supporters at the London Stadium.
Former PGMOL managing director and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett told Football Insider that referee Anthony Taylor overlooked several important incidents during the match on 14 December.
The contest burst into life early when Mateus Fernandes beat Marco Bizot inside the opening minute. A Konstantinos Mavropanos own goal and a strike from Jarrod Bowen followed, setting up a tense battle for points. Aston Villa eventually emerged on top, helped by a second-half double from Morgan Rogers, as Unai Emery’s side secured their 10th Premier League victory of the season despite an uneven start in East London.
Hackett, however, felt the game was marred by persistent issues in the penalty areas. With Boubacar Kamara, Matty Cash and El Hadji Malick Diouf all cautioned, the former referee was particularly frustrated by the level of physical grappling at set-pieces.
Both teams have benefited from dead-ball situations in recent seasons due to their physical presence, leading to numerous aerial duels and clashes throughout the match. Hackett, who is known for publicly calling out refereeing standards, believes the PGMOL has failed to follow through on earlier promises.
Speaking on Football Insider’s The Final Whistle, he said referees had allowed excessive holding and wrestling to go unchecked when crosses were delivered into the box. He added that the PGMOL had pledged at the start of the campaign to take a tougher stance, but that commitment had not been enforced.
Hackett urged chief refereeing officer Howard Webb to address the issue, stressing that officials must find the right balance and ensure the game is played with skill rather than excessive use of arms.
West Ham’s problems at set-pieces were further highlighted by the absence of Max Kilman, who has been benched in recent matches despite boasting one of the stronger aerial success rates in the squad.