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Former FIFA referee Keith Hackett has slammed the decision to disallow Elliot Anderson’s goal during Newcastle United’s late win at Nottingham Forest.

The Geordie midfielder was introduced at half-time for the injured Allan Saint-Maximin and thought he had headed the Magpies ahead in the 64th minute.

Anderson celebrated his first senior goal in front of the near 3,000-strong away end only to have it brutally taken away by referee Paul Tierney minutes later.

After a VAR check, Tierney reviewed the incident at the pitchside monitor and penalised Sean Longstaff for an offside in the build-up.

Magpies legend Alan Shearer was left furious by the call, and Hackett agrees the goal should have stood after Moussa Niakhate, whose clearance hit Longstaff, made a “deliberate” attempt to play the ball.

Hackett tweeted: “VAR was wrong to rule out the Newcastle United goal for offside.

“Under Law 11, the Forest defender made a deliberate play therefore Newcastle player should not have been ruled offside. Goal should have been allowed.

“If the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance by the player in control of the ball is inaccurate or unsuccessful, this does not negate the fact that the player ‘deliberately played’ the ball’.”

Hackett then ripped into the standard of officials as VAR continues to cause controversy across the Premier League week-on-week.

Elliot Anderson of Newcastle United scores the team's second goal past Keylor Navas of Nottingham Forest which is later disallowed by VARduring the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United at City Ground on March 17, 2023 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

“Incompetence, it is as simple as that.” Hackett added. “Lack of concentration. Clear that VAR referees across the group do not fully understand what a clear and obvious error is. I also begin to doubt their law knowledge.”

Fortunately for Newcastle, the disallowed goal didn’t cost them three points. Tierney awarded a penalty in the third minute of stoppage time that Isak cooly converted.

Isak was the man who drew United level on the brink of half-time to cancel out Emmanuel Dennis’ 26th-minute opener.

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‘Incompetence’ - Former FIFA referee slams controversial Newcastle v Nottingham Forest decision