Fans are up in arms after Manchester City were awarded a rather soft penalty against Wolves.
Referee Craig Pawson pointed to the spot after a coming together between Rayan Aït-Nouri and Josko Gvardiol in the box that sent both players tumbling to the turf. As Aït-Nouri attempted, and failed, to clear the ball, his follow through struck Gvardiol on the leg, though some felt the Croatian was at fault as he’d recklessly clattered into the Wolves defender.
After pausing briefly, Pawson blew for a spot-kick, but viewers reckoned he’d been influenced by City’s players, who surrounded him demanding a penalty.
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“Craig Pawson has just given them the penalty after the City players asked for it. Unreal,” one X user wrote. “Can’t believe the ref has caved to City’s players there. Never a pen in a million years,” another fumed.
“How lucky can City get? Never a pen and was only given because they went mad,” a third raged, while a fourth wrote: “Craig Pawson weak as s***. He wasn’t going to give it but then the Man City players started screaming in his face and he changed his mind.”
Was it a penalty? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
(Image: Conor Molloy/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock)
(Image: Getty Images)
A VAR check failed to overturn Pawson’s decision, and Erling Haaland converted from 12 yards to give City the lead. The gigantic Norwegian then added a second after the half-hour mark with a towering header at the back post.
The controversial penalty call comes after City’s title rivals Arsenal were themselves awarded a soft spot kick when Kai Havertz went down in the box after making minimal contact with Bournemouth keeper Mark Travers.
The Gunners went on to win the game 3-0 and extend their lead at the top of the table to four points, though a City win today will reduce the gap back to one.