Howard Webb admits Simon Hooper was ‘DEVASTATED’ after blowing for a foul at the end of Man City and Tottenham game on Match Officials Mic’d Up… and confirms the referee made the wrong call

• Hooper stopped the game for a foul when Jack Grealish was through in on goal
• He was surrounded by City players and Webb said that wrong decision was made
• CHRIS SUTTON: I was RIGHT to call Man United players ‘snakes’ last week – IAKO

Howard Webb has confirmed that Simon Hooper was wrong to blow for a foul on Erling Haaland at the end of Manchester City’s draw with Tottenham.

Hooper sent City player into raptures when he blew for a foul on the forward in his own half, despite Jack Grealish being through in on goal at the other end of the pitch.

Haaland got up as soon as he fell to the floor and fed the England man, with it initially looking like advantage would be played by the referee.

He instead, however, blew his whistle for the free kick, and was quickly surrounded by City players outraged with the call.

On the latest episode of Match Officials Mic’d Up, PGMOL chief Webb expressed his disappointment in the call, and that Hooper blew at just the wrong time. 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=qpvGeRD6ED0%3Frel%3D0

Howard Webb has confirmed that Simon Hooper was wrong to blow for a foul and prevent advantage at the end of Manchester City versus Tottenham

Webb said that Hooper was ‘devastated’ with the call and ‘would have loved to have given an advantage’

Jack Grealish was through on goal when Hooper blew his whistle for a foul on Erling Haaland

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‘It is an officiating mistake and the VAR has no part to play in this,’ Webb said. ‘We’ve not seen this type of situation before in the show because it doesn’t happen that often. Of course, we are always looking as officials to have that positive influence on the game and identify occasions where we can allow the game to play through an advantage.

‘Simon Hooper is normally good at identifying those things. On this particular occasion he sees a pretty strong, reckless foul by Emerson Royal on Haaland and it’s in midfield and the ball comes backwards.

‘He does the hard work, he hesitates a moment to see if an advantage is possible but he recognises in his mind thinking it through that it was a strong challenge, it was reckless, he is going to have to caution.

‘At ground level it is not as easy to see the way things are playing out as it is from an elevated view. He decides to penalise just at the moment where the ball is about to go, and then realises that a wonderful advantage was available.’

PGMOL chief Webb (pictured) suggested it is ‘not easy’ to see how the game will play out while at ground level

Emerson Royal was booked for the tackle, but that was no saving grace for City, who were denied a goal scoring opportunity

As Haaland is fouled by Emerson Royal, one of the assistant referees can be heard informing Hooper of who the player that committed the foul was.

There is then no dialogue between Hooper playing the advantage and blowing his whistle for the foul.

As players surround him, Hooper can be heard saying ‘No, sorry,’ before telling the players to calm.

‘For sure he was devastated,’ Webb said. ‘He had refereed the game really well for 93 minutes but he knows this is going to be the only talking point really close to the end of the game.

Webbb said it is ‘difficult to be annoyed at a remorseful man’ and Hooper has been officiating games since

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‘I understand the disappointment that Manchester City felt on this one because it would have been a wonderful advantage. He just formed the opinion to blow just at the wrong time.

‘It looked like he was ready to play advantage. You never heard him shout advantage. I asked him about the arm, he said he didn’t even realise he was doing it in the moment.

‘Disappointing for Simon, he would have loved to have played advantage to him there. I said to him afterwards, “Just hold your hands up”.

‘It’s difficult to be annoyed at a remorseful man, show your disappointment in the moment because he was certainly feeling that at the time. We took the learning from it and hopefully he’ll not do it again.’

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