LONDON: Manchester City’s Argentine striker Sergio Aguero has accused English referees of bias against foreign players in Premier League matches.
Aguero, who scored his first goal of the season to equalise against Fulham in City’s 2-1 victory over the London side on Saturday, said home referees treated foreign players differently and were more likely to ignore them on penalty appeals.
He also said foreign players were more likely to be punished for penalties that should not be given against them.
His compatriots Pablo Zabaleta and Carlos Tevez both had penalty appeals turned down and asked by reporters after the match if foreign players had it tougher than English players, he said: “Yes, always. It happens everywhere.
“Here in England, there are almost as many foreign players as English players and it’s not right that some have a privilege that others don’t.
“There is a little bit of privilege with players who come from that country, but that is normal.”
Saturday’s goal was the first for Aguero since his injury-time winner against Queens Park Rangers in the final match of last season clinched the title for City.
And Aguero’s views on Saturday’s events, echoed those of Mancini, who was unhappy Fulham were awarded a penalty in the 10th minute when Zabaleta was harshly adjudged to have tripped Fulham’s John Arne Riise.
Mancini claimed the penalty decision by referee Mark Halsey was the latest bad one given against them this season.
“The penalty was not a penalty, I don’t know why it was given,” Mancini said. “We have been unlucky for three or four weeks when we have deserved to win.”
There were other incidents involving foreign players that caused concern on Saturday.
Chelsea’s Brazilian defender David Luiz was booked for diving at Arsenal, but the Gunners’ English defender Carl Jenkinson, who committed an even more blatant dive than Luiz, escaped a booking.
Former Premier League referee Graham Poll, writing in a newspaper column, also highlighted the problems now facing Uruguayan Luis Suarez, who scored a hat-trick in Liverpool’s 5-2 win at Norwich.
Suarez has a reputation for diving after being booked thrice for ‘simulation’ since last season, but Poll believes he was now paying the price for that and was not being properly protected by referees.
“After all the mischief (he) has created on the football pitch, it is difficult to see him in the role of victim,” Poll wrote.
“But that’s exactly what has happened… The Uruguay striker has earned a reputation for diving which is now resulting in him being deprived of spot kicks. (Reuters)