Oliver Holt has questioned why Anthony Taylor decided to save West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola from the “stupid mistake” he made in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool.
The Daily Mail journalist slammed Taylor after he had initially waved play on before Areola set the ball down as if to take a free kick, allowing Cody Gakpo to pounce, but the referee stopped the game before he could do so.
It was a decision which led to plenty of uproar following the game and once again highlighted the inconsistency of the officiating, as Holt insisted Taylor had saved Areola from “embarrassment”.
Writing in the print edition of the Daily Mail [30 April, page 65], Holt insisted: “I don’t understand the fashion for rescuing goalkeepers from terrible clangers.
“What’s next? If a defender lets the ball run under his foot in a dangerous position, does the referee spare him embarrassment for that too?
“Areola made a stupid mistake. He should have been made to suffer the consequences.”
Anthony Taylor slammed after West Ham controversy v Liverpool
Holt is right to question the referee’s decision. Having waved play on, seeing him pause play for a free kick after a howler from the keeper did nothing for the game other than rescuing him from his mistake – something the referee should have no part in.
Jeff Stelling was among those left fuming by the decision as he labelled it “horrific”, insisting it was the worst decision he had seen all season – scathing criticism given some of the errors committed by officials in the last few months.
That anger was shared by Ian Wright and Alan Shearer who discussed the incident live on Match of the Day, coming to the conclusion that neither of them could understand why Taylor had stopped the game at that moment.
With such high-profile criticism of the referee’s performance and decision, the spotlight on the performance of Premier League officials is more intense than ever, and they must start showing some consistency in their calls.
