Ex-PGMOL chief gives take on Tottenham penalty claim during Nottingham Forest defeat
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Credit: Imago Sun 22 March 2026 16:43, UK Keith Hackett has insisted that Tottenham Hotspur should not have been awarded a penalty during their 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest after Cristian Romero went to ground.It was another dire defeat for Spurs in the Premier League as Forest leapfrogged the club, taking them down to 17th.As a result, the pressure on Igor Tudor is now massive, as he lost what could be a key fixture in the battle for survival.However, the game could have easily gone differently, with plenty of contentious decisions going against the North London club.One was a big penalty shout late in the first half, with Hackett agreeing with Michael Oliver’s decision in the awful Tottenham defeat. MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Keith Hackett: Cristian Romero went down too easily for Tottenham penalty claimShortly after Forest’s opener, Spurs felt that they should have had a penalty.After a shot cannoned off Forest’s bar, Romero rose to try and direct a headed shot on target.Match statsTottenhamNottingham ForestPossession58.4%41.6%Shots148Shots on target37Corners133Touches in opposition box2616Tottenham struggled against Nottingham ForestHowever, the Tottenham captain quickly went to ground, with Nico Williams seemingly pushing the defender to ground.While the hosts claimed that this was enough for a penalty, Oliver waved away their protests, with VAR later confirming the on-field decision as correct.When examining the footage, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett was quick to agree with this decision.He said: “The Spurs player goes to ground too easily, looking to win a penalty kick.“The match officials have called this correctly.”Has time run out for Igor Tudor?Before the match, Football Insider revealed that Tudor had one game to save his job, with this coming against Nottingham Forest.However, the match against the East Midlands side could not have gone any worse, with Spurs being completely played off the park in the second half to condemn them to a terrible defeat.Defeat in N17. pic.twitter.com/WdCtJrUXda— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 22, 2026 As a result, relegation looks more likely than even, with the club now down to 17th, one point off the relegation zone.With tricky fixtures on the horizon, it is hard to see Tudor picking up his first Premier League win anytime soon.However, it remains to be seen if Tottenham decide to stick with their interim manager, with the international break perhaps being the ideal time to make a quick change.
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