Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze expressed his frustration after a controversial referee decision denied him a spectacular goal in Palace’s 2-1 defeat to Brentford. Eze’s free-kick found the net while the match was still goalless, but referee Sam Barrott had already blown his whistle for a foul on Will Hughes by Nathan Collins, nullifying the goal.
The early whistle meant that the video assistant referee (VAR) could not review the incident, leaving Eze and his teammates frustrated as the match’s momentum shifted. Brentford capitalized on the situation, scoring shortly after and ultimately securing the victory.
Eze revealed that the referee acknowledged his error, telling BBC’s *Match of the Day*, “I was told [by the referee] that he blew too early and made the mistake. It could have changed the game but we have to deal with it.”
Despite the setback, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner praised Barrott for admitting his mistake, noting that it showed integrity. However, the “monumental mistake,” as described by pundits Micah Richards and Jamie Redknapp, played a crucial role in the outcome of the match, leaving Palace to rue what might have been.
