LONDON, United Kingdom, August 18 – Crystal Palace striker Eberechi Eze said the referee told him he made an error as the official’s “monumental mistake” denied the forward a brilliant goal in his side’s loss to Brentford.
Eze found the net directly from a wide free-kick with the match goalless, but referee Sam Barrott had already given a foul after Will Hughes clashed with Nathan Collins.
With the whistle blown before the ball entered the goal, the video assistant referee (VAR) was unable to intervene and check Hughes’ challenge to potentially overrule the on-field decision.
Micah Richards and Jamie Redknapp told Sky Sports there was no foul by Hughes.
Moments later, Brentford took the lead, eventually winning 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.”
