Decision made on referee Simon Hooper following Manchester City blunder ahead of Liverpool appointment

The Premier League and PGMOL have finalised their decision on referee Simon Hooper following his error during Manchester City’s 3-3 draw with Tottenham at the weekend.

The Premier League champions were denied a late opportunity to snatch all three points as play was brought back to u-turn on an advantage at a crucial moment, with Manchester City’s Jack Grealish hurtling towards a one-vs-one with the Tottenham goalkeeper.

Erling Haaland was initially brought down as City looked to launch a late attack on Tottenham’s defence, however some excellent play from the Norwegian was recognised by Hooper through an advantage, only for play to be brought back for a free-kick when Haaland’s through ball reached Grealish in-behind the Spurs back-line.

Manchester City players and Pep Guardiola were left incensed by the decision, baffled as to why they were not given the opportunity to play-on with the ball at Jack Grealish’s feet and no offside flag having been raised by the linesman.

The Premier League and PGMOL have now made a decision on Simon Hooper’s immediate future as a match official in the English top-flight, ahead of his appointment to Liverpool’s visit to Sheffield United in midweek.

According to Sky Sports, Simon Hooper will not be stood down from officiating Liverpool’s game at Bramall Lane on Wednesday, after it has been accepted that his decision during Manchester City’s 3-3 draw with Tottenham was human error.

Hooper has already been stood down from Premier League officiating duties once this season, after failing to award a penalty to Wolverhampton Wanderers in their 1-0 defeat at Manchester United for a challenge by Andre Onana on Sasa Kalajdzic in stoppage time.

Speaking after the contest and upon being quizzed by the media, Pep Guardiola explained, “Next question. I’ll not do a Mikel Arteta comment. It’s hard when you review the image, the referee decides to blow the whistle after he’s already said play on. After the pass, the whistle, I do not understand.

“I don’t want to criticise them (the referees). Sometimes on the touchline I lose my mind, but here I don’t like to comment. We didn’t draw because of that. The master of commander Anthony Taylor (fourth official), who knows everything in this business, and he didn’t tell me anything.”