(Credit: Sky Sports)

Jack Heath

Mon 18 August 2025 21:59, UK

Leeds somehow got away with an unnoticed error as Lucas Perri clearly did not keep the ball in play in the first half against Everton.

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Former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official Keith Hackett exclusively told Football Insider his verdict on a calamitous piece of refereeing in the Monday night football affair in Yorkshire.

After a two-year absence from the Premier League, the Peacocks returned to the English top-flight, taking on the Toffees in a huge evening at Elland Road.

Leeds looked the better side for most of the game but could not break a defence-first David Moyes side as Jack Grealish came off the bench to make his debut after joining from Man City.

Former Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also made his debut but it was in vein as Lukas Nmecha converted a penalty in a deserved 1-0 win for the Whites.

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This article contains exclusive comments from ex-PGMOL chief, FIFA official and former professional referee Keith Hackett.

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After bombarding the Everton goal for much of the first half, a tame back-pass from Joe Rodon for the untested Brazilian goalkeeper drew a terrible touch and the ball went out for a corner.

The former Lyon keeper rushed to reach the ball and slid to clear the ball away, with Chris Kavanagh and his assistants none the wiser.

However, the South American clearly didn’t reach the ball in time, as it obviously crossed the line and should have been a corner.

Even though he hadn’t faced a single shot throughout the first half, Daniel Farke’s number one was caught on his toes.

The Brazilian got away with the ball going out of play (Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)

Missed by match officials and crucially by the Assistant Referee on the far side of Elland Road, Hackett could not believe it was not picked up on.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider the former referee Hackett said: “Frankly the Assistant Referee really should have picked this up and flagged ball out of play.

“Unacceptable at any level of the game where Assistant Referees are appointed.”

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