Matt Le Tissier blasts VAR after re-analysing Newcastle controversy
Premier League icon Matt Le Tissier wants to see top-flight players penalised for simulation more often by referees rather than soft penalties given for tackles with little contact.
He has exclusively told Football Insider of his desire to see diving and simulation stamped out of the game after Brentford forward Dango Ouattara was booked for that reason after a challenge by Newcastle‘s Dan Burn on Sunday (9 November).
Brentford beat Newcastle 3-1 on Sunday 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.
Referee Stuart 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 is booked for a dive with Jeremy Doku winning a penalty for a soft challenge
Burn did catch Ouattara with his foot while he was on the right-hand side of the Newcastle penalty area as he skipped past the defender with a stepover.
Attwell immediately gave a free-kick to the visitors and booked the ex-Bournemouth man after he had gone to ground with a theatrical jump, as VAR decided to stick with the on-field decision after they had reviewed the footage.
The Magpies man caught Ouattara, 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 told Football Insider that he felt Ouattara dived to try to win a penalty, and a somewhat similar situation occurred at the Etihad Stadium only hours later.
Man City winger Jeremy Doku won his side a spot-kick against Liverpool as he was brought down by Giorgi Mamardashvili, but former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett told Football Insider that he was “amazed” that City were given a penalty against Liverpool, as the contact was also minimal.
Le Tissier wants referees to take a harsher stance on simulation after Ouattara saga
There is clearly an issue in today’s game with players feigning contact or even injuries to try to win fouls and get their opponents in trouble.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former England and Southampton striker Matt Le Tissier urged the PGMOL to make their officials clamp down on simulation like Ouattara’s going forward, and insisted that more penalties are being given for little reason due to VAR’s interventions.
He said: “I personally think there should be more of that (booking players for diving) around because I think players fall over far too easily in the penalty box.
“And I think also VAR haven’t helped because they’ve given a lot of penalties when the contact has been really minimal and they’re not really taking into account the amount of force that’s behind the contact.
“They’re almost just going, oh, well, you’ve given a penalty. There was some contact. So, you know, that’s it. it’s going to be a penalty.”