The FA will take no further action against assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis after he appeared to elbow Liverpool defender Andy Robertson.
Hatzidakis says he had an “open and positive” conversation with Robertson, in which he apologised for the incident that occurred at half-time of Liverpool’s match with Arsenal on Sunday.
After reviewing the incident, the FA said: “We have thoroughly reviewed all of the evidence in relation to the recent incident at Anfield involving the Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson and match official Constantine Hatzidakis, and we will be taking no further action.
“Our comprehensive process involved reviewing detailed statements from Liverpool and PGMOL, as well as multiple angles of video footage, in relation to both the incident and its surrounding circumstances.”
Hatzidakis added: “I fully assisted the FA with their investigation and have discussed the matter directly with Andy Robertson during an open and positive conversation.
“It was certainly not my intention to make any contact with Andy as I pulled my arm away from him and for that I have apologised.
“I look forward to returning to officiating matches.”
Did the assistant referee elbow Andy Robertson?!"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 9, 2023pic.twitter.com/CZQbDDDX0I
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville had thought Hatzidakis would face a punishment for raising his arm.
“I’ve never seen an official raise an elbow to a player. I think he’ll be in a lot of trouble after this game ends,” Neville said on Sunday.
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, meanwhile, did hesitate to criticise Robertson for his role in the incident, which prompted a PGMOL investigation.
“He should be more worried about his defending,” Keane said.
“Do you know what he is? I’ve watched him a number of times. He’s a big baby. Just get on with your game and concentrate with your defending.”
When asked about the incident, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said: “I didn’t see it at all. I heard something happened. I heard the pictures speak for themselves but I don’t know more.”
Hatzidakis had been stood down while the incident was looked into, and former Premier League referee Keith Hackett had speculated that the official’s career would have been in “jeopardy” had he been found guilty.
“I was trying to find an excuse as to why he did it, and I came up with, was he in fear?” Hackett told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He shouldn’t be because he’s in a protected environment with plenty of security. But he reacted in a way that he shouldn’t. He’s clearly lost his composure.
“If he is found guilty of this, his career is in jeopardy.
“The ban on Aleksandar Mitrovic wasn’t long enough, so this has got to be the equivalent if he is found guilty.
“I would like the FA to convene a meeting this week and resolve the issue by the weekend.”
Mitrovic was handed an eight-match ban after pushing referee Chris Kavanagh during Fulham’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United last month.
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