The referee was left ‘devastated’ by his own controversial call during a clash between Manchester City and Tottenham
Simon Hooper was left feeling “devastated” following his own controversial decision during a 2023 encounter between Manchester City and Tottenham.
The official will take charge of a crucial fixture between Manchester United and Arsenal on Sunday, with supporters hoping he won’t grab the spotlight this time around. City welcomed Spurs to the Etihad Stadium in December 2023, with the match locked at 3-3 deep into added time.
Son Heung-Min, Giovani Lo Celso and Dejan Kulusevski had all found the net for the visitors, whilst Phil Foden and Jack Grealish scored alongside a Son own goal to bring the hosts level. Tottenham defender Emerson Royal had tried to dispossess Erling Haaland just inside City’s territory as they sought to break forward, but was unsuccessful.
He brought down the Norwegian, yet the striker still delivered an exceptional pass to Grealish. Hooper appeared to have allowed City to play on, but just as the ball reached the England star, he blew his whistle and indicated that play should return to the spot of the initial foul.
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Unsurprisingly, this didn’t sit well with any of the City squad, including an furious Haaland who yelled in Hooper’s face with his hands on his head. The match ended 3-3, and the referee’s call was heavily criticised by spectators and players afterwards.
Haaland shared footage of the moment on social media with the caption: “Wtf.” Manager Pep Guardiola expressed similar confusion as he said: “It is hard when you review the image, the referee decides to blow the whistle after he has already said to play on.”
“After the pass, the whistle, so I do not understand this action.”
The controversial moment was subsequently examined on the Match Official’s Mic’d Up Show by Howard Webb, with the PGMOL chief refereeing officer acknowledging Hooper’s emotional response after the final whistle. Webb said: “We’re always looking, as officials, to have that positive influence on the game, by trying to identify occasions when we can allow the game to play through an advantage.
“He decides to penalise just at the moment as the ball’s about to go, he blows the whistle, and then realises that a wonderful advantage was available.
“He was devastated. He’d refereed the game really well for 93 minutes, but he knew this is going to be the only talking point. It would have been a wonderful advantage.”
Webb continued by acknowledging the “disappointment that City felt on this one,” whilst supporting Hooper by clarifying that VAR “has no part to play” in advantage decisions.
Ultimately, the decision had minimal impact on City’s campaign that season, as they secured a fourth consecutive Premier League crown. Tottenham concluded the season in fifth position on 66 points, finishing two points adrift of Aston Villa, who claimed the final Champions League qualification spot.
United and Arsenal will be hoping there are not any more contentious decisions from Hooper come Sunday afternoon.
