Gabriel Jesus: ‘Stupid’ Mohammed Salisu slammed by ex-Premier League official as Man City footage analysed
Man City did not deserve their penalty in their 4-1 win over Southampton yesterday (20 March), according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee admitted Mohammed Salisu was “stupid” to put his arms out but the contact on Gabriel Jesus was not enough for him to go down.
As shown on the BBC’s YouTube channel, Jesus was played in behind the Saints’ defence by Jack Grealish and went down from Salisu’s challenge just inside the penalty area.
Kevin de Bruyne scored the resulting spot-kick to put his side 2-1 up before goals from Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden rounded off the victory.
“It’s stupid that a defender puts his arms out but I don’t actually see a push,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“If I was refereeing, I wouldn’t have given a penalty kick. I don’t think there is enough in the defender’s actions to warrant a player going down as easily as he did.
“There’s no coming together at the feet, it’s the arms but there is no push. He doesn’t actually bend his arms, they are straight. He’s holding his arms out and it might be that the forward is slowing down a bit.
“I would have just put that to one side. I don’t think it was a penalty kick.”
City will now face Liverpool in the semi-final and the winner will face Crystal Palace or Chelsea in the final.
Pep Guardiola has only won the FA Cup once when his side beat Watford 6-0 in the 2018-19 final.
In other news, Kieran Maguire has revealed Man City ‘won’t be happy’ after an ‘extremely high-risk’ new sponsor flouts UK law.