Planet Swans ArchivesThe referee clearly said no penalty and replays for me suggested it would have been harsh although it was one of those decisions that will go a different way every time you ask a referee to call it.
When I see the replays I see a shot from the edge of the area that hit Williams hand on the way towards the goal area rather than a shot which Williams moved his hand towards the ball to stop it. That for me is why I believe it was no penalty and the referee called it right.
The Sunderland players were clearly convinced at the time that it should have been a penalty and it was a viewpoint shared by their manager Dick Advocaat
Asked if it was a penalty, he said: “Yes, 100 per cent – at least the way they are now giving penalties, it was a penalty. I could see it on television and it is clearly against his hand.”
Discussing the incident on Match of the Day last night, Alan Shearer was in no doubt when he declared it a “definite penalty, Williams hands were up near his head, Neil Swarbrick says his hands are down but they aren’t”
Of course at the end of the day the penalty wasn’t given but perhaps we did get out of jail slightly but it was the minimum we deserved for being the better team?
<#safc>
