One of the most contentious issues to come out of the Super Sunday clash between Man City and Arsenal was the red card that Michael Oliver brandished to Leandro Trossard.
The official appeared to have been left with little choice after Trossard kicked the ball away, delaying the restart of the game after Oliver had blown for a foul.
Having already picked up a yellow earlier in the game, the Arsenal man can’t have too many complaints after receiving a second yellow and subsequent red.
Dermot Gallagher feels for Arsenal ace Trossard
However, he has received a modicum of support from former official, Dermot Gallagher.
“I feel for him (Trossard) because he has gone to pull out but it is too late, the damage is already done,” he said on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch show.
“We have already seen it earlier in the season, referees are very hard on it this season. He should know not to do it. The referees have been hard and fast on it.
“There is no doubt you could show me one or two that have got away (with it) but by and large the referees have been very very strong on it. And what I would say is if one player gets away with it then it’s not justification for another player saying ‘I am being punished’.”
There had even been suggestions that Man City’s Jeremy Doku had been one who had got away with the same tactics in the very same game, but Gallagher was keen to differentiate between the two situations.
“This one, if you look, I don’t think this is kicking the ball away and delaying the restart,” he added.
“The free-kick is in the wrong place, you see Michael Oliver looking at him and saying you have got to move it back. Doku actually looks at the referee doesn’t he.
“If you look, watch Doku here, the ball comes to him, he looks at the ref and then turns back to the Arsenal player to take the free-kick. I don’t think that is delaying the restart, it’s passing the ball back. I think there is a massive difference.”
That type of argument isn’t likely to curry favour with Arsenal supporters who will feel aggrieved at having to see their team defend for their lives for the entirety of the second half.
All that fans, players and managers appear to want from officials is consistency in their application of the laws, rather than a fudge when clear evidence is presented which could be interpreted in exactly the same manner.
Top photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
For starters, Doku should be walking away from the ball, and should not touch the ball once the whistle was blown regardless. Second, the ball was kicked back alright, but it was kicked back a further 10 yards than where the ball should be for the free kick, and third, Trossard was already committed to kicking the ball not after the whistle was blown but as the whistle was blown, and finally, Trossards action could not have caused a delayed restart because their was a player down injured at the time.
All refs stick together, so no suprise there. Michael Oliver is a known bias Man City fan and has a hard on for Arsenal receiving red cards. He did not use common sense and he ruined a good game by making himself the star of the show. He is incompetent and bias.