Ref Watch: ‘Reckless’ Harry Maguire should be banned as Man United controversy analysed
Harry Maguire should have been sent off and Man City should have been awarded a penalty during their 4-1 thrashing of Man United yesterday (6 March).
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about Maguire’s shambolic display at the Etihad.
He came together in typical fashion with Phil Foden in the penalty area in the 18th minute but referee Michael Oliver awarded United a free-kick.
Maguire was eventually booked for a lunging challenge on Kevin De Bruyne but both incidents were not shown on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2 programme.
Two yellow cards would have seen Maguire miss his side’s game against Tottenham next week.
“Oliver showed why he, and Anthony Taylor are our best two referees -he made the game look easy,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider‘s Connor Whitley.
“He was in a good position to judge that Maguire-Foden incident. It was a bit six of one, half-a-dozen of the other and that’s why he gave the free-kick to United.
“At the time I thought it was a penalty but because there was an element of doubt they went with the defender instead of punishing him.
“Maguire’s got to change. I know he’s coming under a lot of pressure but his challenges are careless and at worse reckless.
“If he was cautioned for that then, later on, there are no doubts, he would have gone on that second one.
“The second one was closer to a red than perhaps we think. He came in with excess force and there was an element of risk. He got away with it.
“It bordered red but on the day Oliver’s overall control he went yellow and nobody would criticise him for that.
“Maguire has this habit of holding on to opponents, like Foden, and that is a foul.
“When you analyse that, why would Foden foul Maguire in that situation when he’s got the chance to score?
“He gets away with a lot.”
In other news, a finance guru has ripped into Man United as £3.1m payroll news is reported.