Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze revealed that the referee admitted to making an error that denied him a brilliant goal in his side’s loss to Brentford.
Eze scored directly from a wide free-kick with the match still goalless, but referee Sam Barrott had already blown the whistle for a foul after Will Hughes clashed with Nathan Collins.
Since the whistle was blown before the ball entered the goal, the video assistant referee (VAR) could not intervene to review Hughes’ challenge and potentially overturn the on-field decision.
Micah Richards and Jamie Redknapp stated on Sky Sports that there was no foul by Hughes.
Moments later, Brentford took the lead and eventually won the match 2-1.
“I was told [by the referee] that he blew too early and made the mistake,” Eze told BBC Match of the Day.
“It could have changed the game but we have to deal with it.”
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner said by admitting “he made a mistake” Barrott “showed he is a great man”.
‘A stinker’ and a ‘nightmare’ decision
This season, the Premier League match centre’s external account on X is posting “near-live” explanations of VAR decisions.
It posted: “The referee awards a free-kick to Brentford for a foul by Hughes on Collins.
“The whistle was blown before the ball entered the goal so VAR cannot intervene and the referee’s call stands.”
Former England midfielder Redknapp said Barrott “had a nightmare” by blowing his whistle too early, while ex-Manchester City defender Richards said the referee “had a stinker”.
“It’s a monumental mistake, he should let it breathe,” Redknapp told Sky Sports. “I’m not sure it is a foul, he could have [blown his whistle] after.”
“Collins has got hold of him, it’s not a foul,” added Richards, who also stressed: “We can’t be too harsh on Barrott, he has made a mistake.”
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