The referee got the penalty decision in Everton’s 2-0 loss to Tottenham on Saturday (15 October) correct, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted Jordan Pickford did not deserve a red card for his foul on Harry Kane.
Pickford spilt a shot from Matt Doherty and brought down his England teammate in the process of trying to collect the ball.
He was not even shown a yellow card but a red would have seen him handed a three-game ban.
Kane then converted from the spot in trademark fashion to open the scoring and get Spurs on their way to collecting all three points.
“It was a penalty,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“Pickford brought him down but it’s not a denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity because in a denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity the ball has to be moving towards the goal. If you look at it, it’s not moving towards the goal.
“It’s going away from goal and that’s why it’s not a denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity. It’s a penalty kick.
“Pickford knows what he’s done, he’s exposed.
“You can also say it’s not DOGSO because Pickford has made a genuine attempt to play the ball.
“It was a good decision to just give a penalty kick.”
Tottenham are third in the Premier League table, four points off Arsenal at the top.
They are next in action on Wednesday (19 October) when they travel to Man United.