Former referee chief Keith Hackett says Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix should’ve been penalised, not Brighton’s Karou Mitoma, in their recent clash.
Former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official Keith Hackett exclusively told *Football Insider* that Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix should have been penalised for a foul on Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma, but did not deserve a card for the challenge.
Crystal Palace maintained their strong form with a 2-1 win over Brighton at Selhurst Park on Saturday (5 April), but the match was full of controversy, with three players sent off. Palace saw red cards for substitute Eddie Nketiah and centre-back Marc Guehi, while Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke was also dismissed.
One key moment came in the second half when Lacroix and Mitoma clashed. With the score tied 1-1, Brighton launched a counter-attack, and Mitoma, after a heavy touch, slid to play the ball but was caught late by Lacroix. Both players were left on the ground in apparent pain.
To the surprise of many, referee Anthony Taylor awarded a free kick to Crystal Palace, despite Lacroix being the one late with the challenge. Hackett believes the decision was wrong, suggesting that Brighton should have been awarded the free kick. However, he does not think Lacroix should have received a yellow card.
Hackett commented, “I think Anthony Taylor’s officiating well, but on this one, he might have played advantage had he seen it the right way. He penalised the Brighton player when it should have been the other way for Palace.”
He went on to explain that while there was doubt in the scenario, he felt the challenge wasn’t reckless enough to warrant a card. Hackett believes issuing yellow cards for every foul would be excessive, and in this case, a free kick was the right call, though awarded to the wrong team.
Looking ahead, Crystal Palace will continue their push for European football when they travel to Manchester City on Saturday (12 April), while Brighton, also vying for European qualification, will host Leicester on the same day.
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