‘I would argue…’ – Matt Le Tissier offers verdict on Dango Ouattara dive controversy vs Newcastle
Brentford forward Dango Ouattara was rightly punished for simulation against Newcastle on Sunday as he went over theatrically in the box after a challenge from Dan Burn.
That is according to Premier League legend Matt Le Tissier, who has exclusively told Football Insider that he felt referee Stuart Attwell correctly booked the Bees man as there was not enough contact to give a penalty.
Brentford beat Newcastle 3-1 on Sunday (9 November) as they battled back from going behind in the first-half to earn the three points on home turf.
Harvey Barnes had given the Magpies the lead before Kevin Schade equalised after the interval, as Brentford felt they were denied a spot-kick on the hour mark for Dan Burn‘s challenge on Dango Ouattara.
Attwell pointed the other way for a Newcastle free-kick, but they were unable to capitalise as Igor Thiago netted twice and Burn was sent off later on for a foul on Ouattara in a similar position.
Dango Ouattara deemed to have dived despite contact from Dan Burn
Brentford summer signing Ouattara was on the right-hand side of the Newcastle penalty area when he skipped past Burn with a stepover and then went to ground with a theatrical jump.
Attwell immediately gave a free-kick to the visitors and booked the ex-Bournemouth man, and VAR reviewed the footage but decided to stick with the on-field decision.
There was some contact between the two players, initiated by Burn, but the Premier League Match Centre confirmed on X that the simulation call had been stood by as the challenge was “deemed to be minimal contact.”
Le Tissier agrees with Stuart Attwell as Ouattara makes the most of Burn challenge
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former England and Southampton striker Le Tissier admitted that he did see some contact but it was not enough for a penalty to be given and the decision not to award a penalty was the correct one.
He said: “It’s a really interesting one, actually, because I think the camera shows that there was some contact, first and foremost, and a lot of people go, oh, well, there’s contact, so it’s got to be a penalty.
“But I would argue that not every bit of contact is a penalty. You know, the contact’s got to be enough to make you fall over. It’s got to be forceful enough to put you out of your stride, to knock you over.
“And you’ve got to look at that and say, was that enough of a touch to make him fall over the way he did? I think it probably wasn’t, to be honest with you, in my experience.
“So I actually agree with the referee on that one, I think there was an element of a dive to it and fair play to the referee for being strong enough to go, ‘yeah, that contact wasn’t enough to make you fall over like that, you’re having a yellow card, mate.'”