Referee for Arsenal vs Man Utd was left 'devastated' by controversial Man City decision

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Simon Hooper was left "devastated" by his own controversial call during a 2023 clash between Manchester City and Tottenham . The referee is in the middle for an all-important clash between Manchester United and Arsenal on Sunday and fans will be hoping he won't make the headlines this time.

City hosted Spurs at the Etihad Stadium in December 2023 with the scoreline sitting at 3-3 deep into injury time. Son Heung-Min , Giovani Lo Celso and Dejan Kulusevski were all on target for their side, meanwhile Phil Foden and Jack Grealish had their own strikes alongside an own goal for Son to level up things.

Spurs defender Emerson Royal had attempted to pick the pocket of Erling Haaland just inside City's half as they looked to counter but failed. He fouled the Norwegian but this didn't deter the striker who played a stunning ball into the path of Grealish.

Hooper looked to have given City the advantage but just as the ball fell to the England international, he blew his whistle and signalled for play to be brought back to the spot of the original foul. As expected, this didn't go down well with any of the City players , including an irate Haaland who screamed in Hooper's face with his hands on his head.

The game finished 3-3 and the referee's decision was slammed by viewers and players alike afterward. Haaland posted a video of the incident online with the caption: "Wtf."

Manager Pep Guardiola was equally as baffled as he said: "It is hard when you review the image, the referee decides to blow the whistle after he has already said to play on.

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"After the pass, the whistle, so I do not understand this action."

The incident was reviewed on the Match Official's Mic'd Up Show by Howard Webb, as the PGMOL chief refereeing officer admitted Hooper's tough emotions following the match. Webb said: "We're always looking, as officials, to have that positive influence on the game, by trying to identify occasions when we can allow the game to play through an advantage.

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"He decides to penalise just at the moment as the ball's about to go, he blows the whistle, and then realises that a wonderful advantage was available.

"He was devastated. He'd refereed the game really well for 93 minutes, but he knew this is going to be the only talking point. It would have been a wonderful advantage."

Webb went on to add that he understands the "disappointment that City felt on this one," and defended Hooper by confirming that VAR "has no part to play" in advantages.

This decision had little bearing on the rest of City's league season that year as they went on to record a fourth-straight Premier League title. Spurs finished in fifth place with 66 points, two behind Aston Villa who secured Champions League football.

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