Keith Hackett: Crystal Palace Denied “Blatant” Penalty in Dramatic Brentford Draw
Former FIFA referee and PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has stated that Brennan Johnson was wrongfully denied a penalty during Crystal Palace’s recent 2-2 draw against Brentford. According to Hackett, both referee Samuel Barrott and VAR official Paul Howard overlooked a clear foul in the penalty box.
The controversial moment occurred shortly before Brentford’s Dango Ouattara scored an 88th-minute equalizer. The Welsh winger went down in the area after his shirt was pulled by Brentford’s Yehor Yarmoliuk, but no spot-kick was awarded. Hackett argues that the error cost Crystal Palace the opportunity to take all three points from the match.
A “Dereliction of Duty” by Match Officials
In an interview with Football Insider, Hackett strongly criticized the decision-making of the officiating crew, calling the failure to award a penalty an “unacceptable” mistake and a “dereliction of duty.”
“The shirt has extended at least a foot away from the player wearing it. How can’t you see that?” Hackett questioned, adding that if he were in charge at Crystal Palace, he would be demanding answers directly from PGMOL chief Howard Webb.
Hackett emphasized that the shirt pull was deliberate and noticeable enough that both the on-field referee and the VAR room should have intervened.
Missed Opportunity for Johnson to Prove His Worth
The unpunished foul missed giving Johnson a crucial opportunity to make an impact during a difficult debut season. Since making a £35 million move from Tottenham last summer, the winger has struggled to live up to his price tag, managing only two assists in 26 appearances across all competitions.
With former recruitment chief Mick Brown suggesting that Palace might already consider moving on from the player, a converted penalty or a match-winning contribution could have helped Johnson make a stronger impression on the club’s future management.
