Eberechi Eze Reveals Referee Admitted Error in Palace Defeat

Eberechi Eze, Crystal Palace midfielder revealed that referee Sam Barrott admitted to making an error after denying him a spectacular goal in their 2-1 defeat to Brentford. Eze had scored directly from a wide free-kick with the score level but Barrott had already blown the whistle for a foul by Will Hughes on Nathan Collins. Since the whistle had blown before the ball crossed the line, the video assistant referee (VAR) couldn’t review the decision.

Both Micah Richards and Jamie Redknapp, speaking on Sky Sports disagreed with Barrott’s decision, stating that Hughes hadn’t committed a foul. This incorrect call came back to haunt Crystal Palace as Brentford scored shortly after, going on to win the match 2-1. Eze recounted that Barrott acknowledged his mistake, saying he blew the whistle too early.

Despite the error potentially altering the game’s outcome, Eberechi Eze and the team need to move forward. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner supported the referee’s admission, stating that Barrott showed integrity by owning up to the mistake. The Premier League’s official match centre on X (formerly Twitter) provided a near-live explanation of the VAR decision, noting that since the whistle had blown before the ball entered the goal, VAR couldn’t intervene.

Redknapp described the situation as a “nightmare” for Barrott while Richards called it a “stinker.” Both pundits agreed that the referee’s premature whistle was a major error, though Richards emphasized the need for understanding, acknowledging that mistakes can happen.