Erling Haaland faces possible disciplinary action after complaining about referee Simon Hooper on social media following Manchester City’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
The City striker was incensed after the official failed to play an advantage in the closing moments of a thrilling Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland was fouled, but quickly got up and played Jack Grealish through on goal, only for Hooper to pull play back and award a free-kick.
Photo: AFP
Haaland was one of several City players to angrily remonstrate with the official and he continued his protests after the game by reposting a clip of the incident on X, formerly Twitter, with the comment “Wtf.”
Manager Pep Guardiola was not aware of Haaland’s social media post when he spoke to reporters after the game, but, referring to Haaland’s on-field reaction, said he could understand the player’s anger.
“It’s normal,” the City boss said. “His reaction was the same for 10 players. The rules are you cannot talk with the referees or fourth officials, so we should have had 10 players sent off today. He’s a little bit disappointed. Even the referee — if he played for Man City today — he would be disappointed for that action, that’s for sure.”
Guardiola had tried to temper his criticism, saying in a TV interview he did not want to make a “Mikel Arteta comment,” in reference to the Arsenal manager’s controversial remarks after a game against Newcastle United last month.
“I make mistakes, the players make mistakes,” Guardiola added in a news conference. “It surprised me because in the moment Erling went down [and] if you whistle in that moment it’s fine. But when he stands up and continues and the referee makes that gesture to play on, and after he [Haaland] makes the pass, he then stops the game — I don’t want to criticize him.”
“On the touchline sometimes I lose my mind and my gestures are not proper, but for many years as a manager I’m not a guy, when I’m refreshed, to comment,” he said.
In other Premier League action on Sunday, Liverpool appeared set for their first home defeat in the league since October last year when they trailed 3-2 to Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s goal in the 80th minute.
However, they turned the tables in dramatic fashion through Wataru Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who struck in the 87th and 88th minutes for a 4-3 win over Fulham.
It was the latest Liverpool have ever fallen behind in a Premier League match that they went on to win.
“We played an incredible game until we didn’t anymore,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. “All credit to Fulham, they did really well. Today, we scored four worldies and were lucky in the end to win the game, and that tells you everything.”
High-flying Aston Villa scored in the 90th minute to draw 2-2 at AFC Bournemouth, while 10-man Chelsea shrugged off a red card for captain Conor Gallagher to edge Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2.
At the London Stadium, Mohammed Kudus put West Ham United ahead in the first half, before Odsonne Edouard equalized in the second period to earn a point for Crystal Palace.
Sunday’s results mean Arsenal remain two points clear at the top of the table, with Liverpool second and City in third.
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