Former Premier League refereeing chief Keith Hackett has questioned Peter Bankes' handling of a controversial incident during Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, arguing that the referee should have awarded the Blues a penalty without needing assistance from VAR.

According to a report by Football Insider on Saturday, October 31, 2026, the incident involved Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez and Chelsea centre-back Wesley Fofana. Martinez was eventually sent off after receiving a second yellow card following a review by the video assistant referee.

Hackett believes Bankes had a clear enough view of the challenge to identify the infringement himself. Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief expressed disappointment that the referee initially failed to recognise the offence inside United's penalty area.

Martinez had already received a booking earlier in the match for a foul on Morgan Rogers. His second major involvement came when Chelsea delivered a free-kick into the visitors' penalty area and he challenged Fofana during the aerial contest.

Bankes initially allowed play to continue, but VAR official James Bell examined the footage and recommended an on-field review. After watching the replay on the pitchside monitor, the referee awarded Chelsea a penalty and showed Martinez another yellow card, resulting in his dismissal.

Hackett identified Martinez's use of his arm during the challenge as the key reason the decision was justified. He argued that the defender had approached the aerial contest recklessly and made contact with his opponent in a manner that warranted a penalty.

"The player has led with his arm into his opponent in a reckless manner," Hackett told Football Insider.

He added that Bankes had been positioned well enough to see what happened but had initially awarded a corner instead. Hackett described the original decision as disappointing, insisting that the infringement should have been straightforward for the referee to identify.

The former refereeing chief, however, praised James Bell for recommending the review. He said the VAR intervention ensured the correct outcome was eventually reached, although he maintained that Bankes should have made the decision independently.

Chelsea captain Cole Palmer converted the resulting spot-kick, adding to Morgan Rogers' earlier goal as the home side secured a 2-0 win. VAR also intervened in another important moment, ruling out a goal by Estevao after the forward was judged to have been offside.

Martinez's dismissal will have further consequences for Manchester United, as the defender is set to miss their next Premier League match against Aston Villa through suspension.

Although Hackett criticised the on-field referee's initial response, he agreed that the final decision was correct. The incident has therefore highlighted both the importance of accurate positioning by match officials and VAR's role in correcting significant decisions when an infringement is not initially identified.