Richard Keys is incensed with referee Sam Barrott for giving Burnley a penalty in the second half of their match against West Ham on Saturday afternoon at Turf Moor.

Jay Rodriguez scored the spot kick shortly after the second half began when Mohammed Kudus clipped Luca Koleosho in the box.

Kudus’s modest rebuke irritated Keys, as PGMOL chairman Howard Webb had called on VAR officials to crack down harder on “soft penalties” in Premier League games.

Using his personal X account on Saturday, November 25, Keys stated, “Clearly Sam Barrot didn’t get Howard Webb’s memo about soft pens this week.”

“It’s hardly even a pen, the one he was recently handed at Turf Moor is so soft. Not even close to a pen.

“It’s a humiliating move to make up for the one he withheld during the first forty-five minutes.”

Soft, indeed

The existence of contact cannot be disputed.

But while this is a contact sport, not all contact results in a foul.

Koleosho was clipped by Kudus, maybe landing on his ankle or the back of his boot as he dropped to the ground.

Is that a punishment, though? Not in a manner.

According to Keys, Barrott was undoubtedly attempting to exact revenge for the penalty he denied Burnley in the first half—which was, in fairness, more of one than this one in the second.

That is not how referees should conduct themselves because two wrongs do not equal a right.

Fortunately, the Irons scored two goals in the dying minutes to exact revenge on themselves.

Given what Webb stated regarding people at Stockley Park, West Ham should have undoubtedly had the decision overturned on this occasion. The team has suffered some major setbacks in recent seasons with VAR in place.

why is the definition of an easy penalty, thus it is obvious why the PGMOL chief opposes seeing his referees in the Premier League awarding them.