Keith Hackett Calls for Inquiry Into Liverpool’s Controversial 3-2 Victory Over Newcastle
Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett believes Liverpool’s dramatic 3-2 win over a ten-man Newcastle side should be investigated. The Reds snatched victory in stoppage time when 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha came off the bench to score in the 100th minute, stunning the home crowd.
Despite being a man down after Anthony Gordon was sent off just before halftime, Newcastle had been in control for much of the match. Liverpool had taken a 2-0 lead through goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike, but Bruno Guimaraes and William Osulu pulled the hosts level before the late decider.
Although Gordon’s red card was widely seen as justified, Hackett’s concerns lie elsewhere. His main issue was the amount of actual playing time. According to Opta, the ball was in play for just 40.8% of the 117-minute match — the lowest figure in a Premier League game since 2010.
Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett called the figure “unacceptable” and urged the Premier League to investigate:
> “Fans aren’t getting value for money. The league needs to find out where the time went and act on it.”
With referees under instruction to crack down on time-wasting this season, Hackett questioned whether either team deliberately slowed the game:
> “Was there a tactical reason behind the delays? Did one side try to disrupt the flow due to the strength of the opposition?”
He also pointed to specific match events that could have contributed to the stoppages:
> “How long did throw-ins, corners, and substitutions take? Were there frequent injury breaks? The review can look into all of that.”
Simon Hooper, who officiated the game at St. James’ Park, generally let play continue despite some aggressive challenges. Hackett defended him, noting:
> “Hooper prefers to let the game flow, and he’s not necessarily at fault. But he does impact total game time by how much stoppage time he adds.”
In closing, Hackett stated bluntly:
> “There’s a serious issue here that the Premier League must not ignore.”
Adding further tension to the match was the ongoing saga around Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, who is reportedly pushing for a move to Liverpool. That background, along with Gordon’s rash tackle on Virgil van Dijk leading to his red card, added to the game’s emotional intensity.
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