Howard Webb, the chairman of PGMOL, acknowledged that referee Simon Hooper made an error by not allowing an advantage in the closing moments of Manchester City’s match against Tottenham. This incident led to a Premier League complaint against City. Hooper initially attempted to play advantage after Erling Haaland was fouled, which allowed Jack Grealish a clear chance on goal, but he later blew the whistle, calling the foul after Grealish’s touch.
Haaland confronted Hooper, expressing his frustration, while City faced charges for failing to control their players. However, Haaland wasn’t individually prosecuted for posting a video of the incident with a caption expressing his astonishment.
Webb addressed this matter, admitting Hooper’s mistake in not allowing the advantage during the ‘Premier League Mic’d Up’ review show, where the officials’ actions and conversations were revealed. Hooper acknowledged his error immediately after blowing the whistle, as captured in the audio. Webb explained that Hooper opted to caution Emerson Royal for a strong foul on Haaland, missing the chance to play the advantage.
Webb described Hooper as ‘devastated’ by the mistake, clarifying that Hooper’s raised arm indicating no advantage was accidental and contributed to City’s frustration. Webb empathized with City’s disappointment, noting that Hooper seemed prepared to play advantage, but didn’t verbalize it. He encouraged Hooper to acknowledge his mistake and expressed hope that similar errors would not recur in the future.
