Richard Keys has taken aim at the Premier League and VAR in his latest blog post. The beIN SPORTS broadcaster has made a claim about Michael Oliver and David Coote.
Former Sky Sports host Richard Keys has questioned the Premier League and the calibre of officiating in the league.
Keys contends that following Ivan Toney’s grappling by Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson during the team’s match against Brentford, lead video assistant referee (VAR) David Coote hesitated to have Michael Oliver review a call on the monitor. Despite Brentford’s 4-1 victory over Liverpool, there were times throughout the match when it appeared like Brentford should have had a penalty.
Considering Mike Dean’s admission that his friendship with Anthony Taylor prevented him from correcting an in-game error, Keys—who is currently a beIN SPORT presenter—argued that fear, not friendship, could have been the reason VAR refrained from interfering.
He proposed that Michael Oliver’s superiority complex may have rendered Coote and other people too afraid to correct him.
Keys wrote on his blog: “Brentford ought to have had a pen. It was a pen, Robertson understood that. That’s evident from the way he limps off after clattering Toney with the ball.”
Michael Oliver was the only one on the ground who didn’t believe it to be a pen. What became of VAR? David Coote vanished because he was aware that Oliver would never put someone on the same level as him and send him to a monitor.”
“Operators retreat because they are afraid of Oliver. Mike Dean acknowledged as much early in the season, so we know this. Referees support their teammates and avoid conflict.”
Not content to stop there, Keys went for Howard Webb as well. After mistakes, he said the head of referees “should be on the phone to Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth, and maybe even City.”
Keys also acknowledged it took Rob Jones and Michael Salisbury ‘four minutes to f*** it up’ when they awarded Newcastle a penalty against Bournemouth. He also accused the Premier League of using Fulham as ‘guinea pigs’.
Lewis Smith took charge of Fulham versus Aston Villa as the 30-year-old continued a remarkable rise from the National League less than a year ago, while Rebecca Welch made her debut in the division at Craven Cottage. Samuel Barrot also took charge of his first Premier League clash in west London this season.
“Fulham fans have got every right to ask why their club are always used as guinea pigs when it comes to giving new refs a run-out,” wrote Keys. “Of course the process of finding new blood is important – but it doesn’t always have to be at Craven Cottage. Fulham’s games matter every bit as much as any other teams.”
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