![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chris-Kavanagh-Man-City-goal-1140x641.jpg\")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Credit: Sky Sports<\/p>\n
![\"Harri](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Harri-Burton-profile-picture-300x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Tue 13 January 2026 22:05, UK <\/p>\n
Chris Kavanagh and Stuart Attwell made a \u201cludicrous\u201d decision to rule out Antoine Semenyo\u2019s second goal against Newcastle United.<\/p>\n
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett<\/a>, who exclusively told Football Insider that Semenyo deserved to have his brace stand<\/a> at St James\u2019 Park on Tuesday, 13 January.<\/p>\n Kavanagh could have even sent off Nico O\u2019Reilly in the first half, but appeared desperate to keep his cards in his pocket, infuriating both sets of supporters in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.<\/p>\n Pep Guardiola<\/a>\u2018s side should have gone two goals ahead away from home, but after a four-minute VAR check, the referee was advised to visit the pitch-side monitor, with Erling Haaland<\/a> in an offside position.<\/p>\n There was no doubt that Haaland was in an offside position, but with no chance that the striker interfered, the officials have been absolutely slammed for ruling the goal out on this occasion.<\/p>\n Keith Hackett in disbelief over Man City\u2019s offside goal<\/p>\n With the decision taking over four minutes to be confirmed, many have questioned what happened to \u201cclear and obvious,\u201d and Hackett has also been left stunned by the decision.<\/p>\n MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES<\/p>\n Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: \u201cBeing in an offside position, in itself, is not an offence. Haaland, judged to be in an offside position, does not interfere with his opponent.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd certainly hasn\u2019t interfered with the goalkeeper \u2013 he\u2019s behind him. I think this is a ludicrous decision. The goal should have stood. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd for the semi-automated offside technology, it appears to be letting our referees down because Stuart Attwell<\/a> took an age to advise Kavanagh. What a poor decision to rule out this goal.\u201d<\/p>\n Stuart Attwell accused of \u2018passing the buck\u2019 to Chris Kavanagh<\/p>\n While it was Kavanagh, in the end, who made the decision to rule out the goal, Hackett has been sure to point one finger of blame at the official in the VAR room.<\/p>\n He said, \u201cAttwell took four minutes to pass the buck to Kavanagh. Kavanagh hardly interrogated the incident and jumped to the easy option of ruling a good goal out.\u201d<\/p>\n Both are certainly to blame for the situation, and if anything, it is a good advert for the use of VAR to be outlawed in English football, especially after a weekend of FA Cup football.<\/p>\n![\"Antoine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/imago1071084197-1024x684.jpg\")
Credit: Imago<\/p>\n