Ex-PGMOL chief claims ref 'should be suspended' over Arsenal penalty incident

Arsenal were denied a penalty at Nottingham Forest when Ola Aina appeared to handle in the penalty box

Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has claimed referee Darren England should be taken off his next match after failing to award Arsenal a late penalty at Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners were adamant they should have had a spot-kick when full-back Ola Aina appeared to handle the ball just 10 minutes from time.

Arsenal were not given the penalty, however, sparking outrage after they dropped two points at the City Ground.

Speaking to Football Insider, former referee and PGMOL boss Hackett claimed England should have awarded a penalty. Hackett said: “It’s a subjective call. You can see a cusping of the arm towards the ball. Arsenal get a rough ride.

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“When you look at it, I just smiled, because when Sean Dyche comes out trying to defend the referee, my first view was that a penalty should have been awarded.

“I was right. I think they [VAR] are confused about ‘clear and obvious’. There’s a relationship issue between officials, with some new guys on the block.

“You should be able to analyse a VAR performance, and if they don’t meet a standard, and you make a mistake, sorry, you’re going to spend next weekend sat on your hands, not at Stockley Park.”

Speaking after the match, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta also raised his frustrations with the decision, which he believes the officials got wrong.

The Spaniard said: "The clear penalty that we cannot forget. That is a clear penalty in the box that's not been given. Those are the margins.

"I saw it live, I saw it here. I saw it now again. It's very unnecessary but he brings the ball in with his hand."

Unsurprisingly, Sean Dyche had a very differing view.

The Forest manager said of the incident: "I think if these start to get given we've all got to leave it. I think that's ridiculous. We've got to be careful with those," Dyche said.

"You may as well cancel football if you're going to give that [as handball]. The rules have to be careful. You know what they should be looking at? People feigning injury. That's the new diving."

The Premier League Match Centre also explained on X: "The referee’s call of no penalty to Arsenal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that the ball was played off Aina’s shoulder first, while his arm was also in a natural position."