Brentford 3-2 Liverpool: Former PGMOL Chief Issues Firm Verdict on Controversial Call

Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has given his verdict on the incident that saw Liverpool denied a penalty when Cody Gakpo went down in the box during their Premier League defeat to Brentford.

Liverpool visited the Gtech Community Stadium hoping to end their losing streak in the league but instead suffered a fourth straight defeat. Brentford made a fast start, taking the lead through Dango Ouattara inside five minutes before Kevin Schade doubled their advantage. Milos Kerkez pulled one back just before half-time, but Igor Thiago’s second-half penalty restored the two-goal cushion. Mohamed Salah netted late on to make it 3-2, though it proved only a consolation.

The major talking point came in the first half when Gakpo appeared to be brought down by Nathan Collins in the area with Liverpool trailing 2-0. Referee Simon Hooper waved play on, and VAR upheld his decision, with the Premier League Match Centre later explaining that there was “no foul by Collins on Gakpo.”

Frustration among Liverpool fans grew when Brentford were later awarded a penalty after Virgil van Dijk fouled Ouattara.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett backed Hooper’s decision:

> “Referee Simon Hooper was perfectly placed to determine if there was any contact to justify a penalty. These decisions are much more credible when the referee is close to the action. Without clear evidence of contact, you simply cannot award a penalty kick.”

Liverpool now aim to bounce back in upcoming fixtures, facing Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup midweek before hosting Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday, November 1.