LONDON, Dec 5: Manchester City was charged on Monday after Erling Haaland and other players surrounded the referee because the match official failed to play advantage for a potential scoring chance late in the 3-3 draw with Tottenham in the English Premier League.
The English Football Association alleged that City “failed to ensure their players do not behave in a way which is improper.”
Haaland was particularly angry with referee Simon Hooper’s decision to not play advantage and continued his complaints after the final whistle, expressing his frustration in a post on X — formerly known as Twitter — when responding to video of the stoppage-time incident. The FA didn’t say Haaland would face separate action for his conduct.
Haaland was brought down by Tottenham defender Emerson Royal as City went in search of a winner after Dejan Kulusevski’s 90th-minute equalizer. As the striker got back to his feet, Hooper appeared to gesture for play to carry on, with Haaland releasing Grealish with a pass. It was then that Hooper blew his whistle.
The FA said City had until Thursday to respond to the charge.
City feeling post-treble blues?
Erling Haaland raged in the face of the referee. Ruben Dias threw his hands out in frustration. Jeers from Manchester City fans swirled around the ground.
The Etihad Stadium was a scene of outright anger in the final moments of a wild 3-3 draw against Tottenham after a refereeing mistake denied City a potential stoppage-time winner for Jack Grealish.
The pent-up ire that manifested itself Sunday has been building, though.
City might finally be experiencing some post-treble blues. There was always going to be some sort of comedown after being in soccer dreamland by becoming only the second team — after Manchester United in 1999 — to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season.
Pep Guardiola predicted it would happen. Former United players warned it would happen. It’s taken a few months but maybe now it has happened.
It might only be a small drop-off but three straight draws in the Premier League represents the first time since Guardiola’s first year in charge that City has gone through such a run of games in the competition without winning.
First there was a 4-4 draw at Chelsea, then a 1-1 draw with Liverpool and now the draw at home to an injury-hit Tottenham. Next there’s a trip on Wednesday to Aston Villa, which has a flawless home record in the league, and City will be without its irreplaceable center midfielder, Rodri, because of suspension along with Jack Grealish (also suspension) and most likely Jeremy Doku, who came off injured against Spurs.
Arsenal, meanwhile, might be six points clear of third-place City by the time of kickoff at Villa Park because the team at the top of the standings plays Luton on Tuesday to start a midweek round of league fixtures.
On the face of it, there might not be too many concerns. After all, City didn’t lose any of those recent games, the gap to Arsenal is only three points at this early stage of the season and the team has already qualified for the round of 16 of the Champions League with a game to spare.
Indeed, it needed a stoppage-time penalty by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and a 90th-minute goal by Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski to stop City winning those games.
Most teams would love to be in City’s position right now. (AP)
