Haaland left furious with referee Simon Hooper in thrilling 3-3 draw with Tottenham
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou remained unfazed, stating that the refereeing decision didn't affect him and that there were more compelling storylines in the game than one officiating call.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland took to social media to express his dissatisfaction with referee Simon Hooper's controversial decision during Sunday's intense 3-3 Premier League draw against Tottenham Hotspur. Haaland criticised Hooper for denying him the chance to play an advantage in the final moments of the exhilarating match at Etihad Stadium.
The incident occurred in the fifth minute of injury time when the Norwegian was fouled but managed to regain his balance and set up Jack Grealish, who was clear on goal. Although Hooper initially signalled for play to continue, he later blew the whistle to bring the ball back for a City free-kick.
More To Read
Venting his frustration, Haaland reposted a clip of the incident with a comment on X saying "Wtf." This post drew attention due to its offensive slang.
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) December 3, 2023
Manager Pep Guardiola, maintaining composure during the media interview, chose not to follow the provocative path of some equals. He acknowledged that mistakes can happen but expressed surprise at the inconsistency in Hooper's decision-making.
Guardiola commented on the referee's initial gesture to play on after Haaland's fall, only for him to later blow the whistle when the ball reached Jack Grealish. Addressing Haaland's response, Guardiola noted that the striker's disappointment was understandable and suggested that even a referee playing for Manchester City would likely be dissatisfied with the action.
"Next question. I will not do a Mikel Arteta comment. Sometimes I lose my mind about the referees, but here no. Always people can make mistakes. It surprised me for the fact that he went to whistle when Erling went down, but after he stood back up and made the pass, the referee made the gesture to play on. But then when the ball goes to Jack, then the whistle," said Guardiola in his post-match interview.
Despite the controversial decision, Guardiola emphasised that the draw wasn't solely due to that incident. On the other hand, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou remained unfazed, stating that the refereeing decision didn't affect him and that there were more compelling storylines in the game than one officiating call.
Top Stories Today
