Referee experienced deep disappointment following error during Man City vs Tottenham encounter
In a thrilling Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham in December 2023, a controversial refereeing decision made by Simon Hooper became the talking point of the game. The decision, which occurred in the final moments of the match, left players such as Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland perplexed.
The incident saw Grealish racing onto a through-ball, effectively ending what could have been a decisive moment in the match. However, Hooper signaled a foul against Manchester City, bringing the play back to the original spot. This decision left the Manchester City players showing frustration, with Haaland sprinting over to Hooper and placing his hands on his head in response.
The decision did not significantly affect Manchester City's run to a fourth-straight Premier League title, as they finished with 91 points, two more than second-placed Arsenal. The score remained 3-3 after Hooper's decision, and the incident did not significantly affect Tottenham's season either, as they finished in fifth place with 66 points, missing out on a Champions League spot which was taken by Aston Villa with 68 points.
Howard Webb, the PGMOL chief refereeing officer, discussed the incident in a show. Webb revealed that Hooper was devastated after the incident due to the missed advantage. He explained that Hooper decided to penalize just as the ball was about to go, causing a missed advantage. Webb also mentioned that VAR had no part to play in the incident, making it Hooper's sole decision.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, was also perplexed by Hooper's decision. Haaland reposted a video of the incident on his X account with the caption "Wtf." Despite the controversy, Hooper remains a Premier League referee.
The incident was not the only highlight of the match, as both teams displayed excellent football throughout. Despite the controversy, the game will be remembered as a thrilling encounter between two top Premier League sides.
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