football controversy

Sunderland’s 1-0 win over West Brom at The Hawthorns wasn’t without post-match drama, as former PGMOL referee Keith Hackett raised the possibility of EFL sanctions. The controversy stems from a slight delay to the second-half restart, with Sunderland’s players returning late to the pitch—something Hackett suggested could be viewed as deliberate gamesmanship. While referee Tom Nield addressed the issue briefly with Sunderland captain Dan Neil, Hackett believes the incident will be noted in the official report and may lead to a fine. This marks yet another occasion this season where Hackett has called for action involving Sunderland, though none of his previous warnings have resulted in disciplinary measures so far.