Keith Hackett Gives Verdict on Controversial Dean Henderson Decision in Palace 1-0 Man City

Ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has shared his thoughts on the disputed Dean Henderson moment during the FA Cup final.

The 2024/25 campaign will be a historic one for Crystal Palace fans. In the FA Cup final, the Eagles overcame Manchester City with a 1-0 victory, winning their first-ever major club trophy. Eberechi Eze capped off a swift counter-attack — a hallmark of Oliver Glasner’s tactics — which resulted in City finishing the season without a title.

This landmark win also earned Palace a place in European competition for the 2025/26 season. Goalkeeper Dean Henderson was outstanding, saving a penalty from Omar Marmoush and pulling off a series of excellent stops.

**Wayne Rooney**

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Still, the keeper was arguably lucky to complete the full match. He made contact with the ball using his hands outside the penalty area while attempting to block Erling Haaland. Officials judged that the ball was heading away from goal, although many believe Henderson may have prevented a clear scoring chance by doing so.

According to **Football Insider**, retired official Keith Hackett — who officiated for over thirty years at all tiers of the game — has now given his assessment of the event.

**‘Unsporting Behaviour’**

**Hackett reflects on incident from final**

**Dean Henderson playing for Crystal Palace**

Hackett, when analyzing the situation, emphasized that determining a goal-scoring opportunity depends on several el

ements. He noted that Haaland’s movement away from the goal was in Henderson’s favor. However, he still acknowledged that Henderson handled the ball outside the box.