Hackett: Brighton star should be 'banned' as Everton footage re-analysed
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Harri Burton
Mon 25 August 2025 17:37, UK
Brighton star Maxim De Cuyper was fortunate not to have been sent off and landed a suspension following his challenge on James Tarkowski, according to Keith Hackett.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that, while the referee viewed the incident as a natural footballing action, it was reckless from the Brighton man on Sunday, 24 August.
After grappling with Iliman Ndiaye, the 24-year-old full-back was already on a yellow card after 24 minutes before going into a studs-up challenge on Everton’s Tarkowski in the 38th minute.
Following a shot from Jan Paul van Hecke, which rebounded off the post, David Moyes‘ veteran defender cleared the ball away, only to be left in a heap on the floor by a late challenge from De Cuyper.
This article contains exclusive comments from ex-PGMOL chief, FIFA official and former professional referee Keith Hackett.
The full-back, who signed from Club Brugge this summer, has been thrown straight into the deep end, defending against the likes of Fulham’s Harry Wilson and Everton duo Ndiaye and Jack Grealish.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side were handed a route back into the game, having gone behind to Ndiaye and James Garner goals, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall wrongly punished for handball inside the penalty area.
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Sadly for the Seagulls, Danny Welbeck missed from 12 yards at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and matters could have been even worse had their left-back been sent off in the first half.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “It’s one of those challenges that, at the absolute minimum, the referee has got to award a free-kick.
What he needs to judge next is whether or not the challenge is reckless.
“I know it’s a game of football, but it has an element of being reckless.
He’s fortunate not to receive a second yellow card because the challenge is reckless.
I would suggest that from the referee’s view, he’s seen it as a normal piece of football action, so he’s not issued any sanction.
“We’re back to the scenario with VAR, who might have viewed it as reckless, is not allowed to come in because it’s a yellow.