Referee Chris Kavanagh’s involvement in the build-up to Bruno Fernandes’ missed penalty against Fulham on Sunday afternoon has been strongly criticized by former PGMOL chairman Keith Hackett. After a VAR review determined that Calvin Bassey had wrestled Mason Mount to the ground, Kavanagh pointed to the spot, giving Manchester United a fantastic opportunity to end the match.\
Watch the attempt below to see how the Red Devils’ captain failed to capitalize on his stuttering run-up, which ended with the ball flying high into the bleachers. After the interval, Amorim’s team took the lead through an own goal from Rodrigo Muniz, but Emile Smith Rowe’s equalizer left United reeling from their wasted chances and facing a second straight loss to begin the new Premier League season.
However, Fernandes later stated that the referee had turned him off, and fresh video showed that Kavanagh seemed to bump into him right before he started his typical penalty-taking procedure. Now, Hackett has commented on the event.
Ex-PGMOL Chief Casts Verdict On Fernandes Penalty Controversy
Gary Neville, who co-commented live on Sky Sports Main Event, claimed that Fernandes’ miss was the referee’s fault, citing the fact that Kavanagh was seen on camera running into the taker as he was heading to the box’s edge. United’s captain became uneasy after the event and briefly confronted Kavanagh before taking the field, but he lost his train of thought under pressure.
Former FIFA referee Hackett reaffirmed Neville’s opinion in an exclusive interview with Football Insider, stating that the official had no justification for becoming unduly engaged. “There was absolutely no reason for Kavanagh to make physical contact with Fernandes at the penalty kick,” he stated (see the event below).
“It is frankly poor procedure on his part. He should ensure that the ball is placed correctly on the penalty mark, that the goalkeeper is positioned correctly on the goal line and that attackers and defenders are positioned outside the penalty area.
“He then takes up his position and signals for the kick to be taken. Never give a player an opportunity to use the referee has an excuse for missing the shot on goal.”
Fernandes was seen having a lengthy discussion with Kavanagh, allegedly regarding his shenanigans with the penalty, even after the first half had ended and the second half had begun. “It upset me because the referee didn’t apologise,” the 30-year-old stated in his interview after the game.
He went on to say, “Obviously, you have your own routine, like every penalty taker, but that’s not an excuse for missing the penalty.” I just hit the ball really badly. The reason the ball went over the bar was because I got my foot under it too much.
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