Manchester City players go rogue on Referee, Simon Hooper

Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur has become one frustrating fixture for Pep Guardiola that if he could avoid it, he would, and Sunday’s clash with North London team is prove why.

In a thrilling and contentious clash at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City’s hopes for a dramatic late winner against Tottenham were dashed due to a controversial refereeing decision that left both players and fans fuming. The match, filled with ups and downs, witnessed a moment in injury time that ignited fury among the City faithful.

The pivotal moment occurred when City’s Erling Haaland was fouled by Tottenham’s Emerson Royal, prompting the referee, Simon Hooper, to play advantage.

Seizing the opportunity, Haaland delivered a pass that put Jack Grealish in a clear goal-scoring position. However, Hooper abruptly reversed his decision and blew the whistle for the initial foul on Haaland, denying Grealish the chance to capitalize on the opportunity.

Simon Hooper, is for sure a name that would be remembered a lot by premier league fans, particularly Liverpool as the match day official played a role in Liverpool’s defeat versus Tottenham a few weeks ago.

The sudden turn of events sparked anger among City’s players and supporters, who believed they were unjustly deprived of a decisive chance.

Commentator Peter Drury captured the disappointment, describing Grealish’s lost opportunity and the subsequent boos echoing across the stadium.

The frustration boiled over as Haaland stormed off the pitch at the final whistle, visibly agitated by the referee’s call. Co-commentator Gary Neville attributed Haaland’s reaction partially to the frustration of a subpar performance in front of the goal, emphasizing City’s defensive struggles, having conceded nine goals in four games, as a larger concern than the controversial decision.

The match itself was a rollercoaster, with Son Heung-min opening the scoring for Spurs in the 6th minute, followed by an own-goal that leveled the score for Manchester City.

Phil Foden then nudged City ahead, only for Giovani Lo Celso to equalize in the second half. Amidst the drama, Grealish appeared to have secured the winning goal in the 80th minute, only for Dejan Kulusevski to snatch a dramatic equalizer for Tottenham ten minutes later, securing a crucial point for Ange Postecoglou’s side.