Chris Kavanagh and his assistant have been dropped from upcoming Premier League matches after a series of high-profile errors during Newcastle’s FA Cup clash with Aston Villa.
Referee Chris Kavanagh and assistant Nick Greenhalgh have been stood down from this weekend’s Premier League appointments following a controversial performance during Newcastle United’s 3-1 FA Cup victory over Aston Villa.
The officiating team faced intense criticism for failing to penalize a reckless challenge by Lucas Digne and incorrectly awarding a free-kick instead of a penalty for a handball occurring inside the eighteen-yard box.
Pundit Wayne Rooney attributed the errors to an over-reliance on technology, suggesting officials are struggling without VAR support.
Despite the scrutiny, the PGMOL maintains that officials are encouraged to remain decisive on-field.
Rooney described the missed penalty call as “one of the worst decisions he had ever seen,” highlighting the significant impact these high-profile mistakes had on the match’s officiating narrative.
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