By Keith Hackett

22nd Nov, 2022 | 11:57am

Ex-Fifa official: Man City star John Stones is caught red-handed as BBC footage emerges

Man City defender John Stones can have little complaints with the penalty he gave away in England’s 6-2 defeat to Iran on Tuesday (21 November), according to Keith Hackett.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee admitted there are question marks over the consistency of the referee after Harry Maguire was denied a spot-kick for a similar incident in the first half.

Iran were awarded a penalty at the very end of 10 minutes of stoppage time in the second half for a foul on Morteza Pouraliganji.

As shown on the BBC’s highlights, Stones was judged to have brought down his opponent with a shirt pull after a VAR review.

Mehdi Taremi converted from the spot past Jordan Pickford to double his tally for the game.

“I think he was right in regards to John Stones, the penalty kick that was awarded against him,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.

“Ultimately, at the end of the day, when you look at this and they hold a shirt in that way and grab a bit of a shirt, then that’s a signal to the referee and VAR and they are going to give them. 

“You can question the consistency after the Maguire incident.”

England were denied a penalty of their own in the opening stages when Harry Maguire was brought down by Rouzbeh Cheshmi as a corner was floated in.

Both the referee and VAR operator judged the challenge to be fair and the game was allowed to continue.

In other news, “Man City are powerless” as an Erling Haaland “suspension” is mooted after a major reveal.