Ex-Fifa official: Man City victims of Premier League after Erling Haaland cheat storm
Keith Hackett has claimed Man City boss Pep Guardiola and other Premier League managers are facing a clampdown on touchline behaviour after he was booked for protesting a decision which denied Erling Haaland a penalty against Nottingham Forest on Saturday (18 February).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted Haaland, 22, should have been booked for diving.
As seen in footage from Man City’s YouTube account (18 February), Haaland went down under minimal contact from Nottingham Forest’s Joe Worrall.
Match referee Graham Scott waved away the striker’s protests, and Pep Guardiola was booked for his touchline protests against the decision.
A number of other Premier League managers have also been cautioned for their conduct in recent weeks, with Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Wolves’ Julen Lopetegui particularly prominent offenders.
Hackett suggested the recent uptick in bookings is part of new PGMOL chief Howard Webb’s agenda – which has come into force since his appointment in August 2022.
He told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “Webb has come in and started tidying things up with this.
“The fourth officials needed to be better at dealing with the misconduct in the technical areas.
“I think it was correct to book him.
“Guardiola could have taken the opportunity to look at the screen, but ultimately he reacted on something the referee got right. Haaland should have been booked for simulation.
“There is a clampdown against managers happening, and that will have been one of the items on Howard Webb’s agenda when he came into the PGMOL.
“If the managers and clubs are warned, now they can have no excuse.”
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