Manchester City have been charged by the English Football Association with failing to control their players during Sunday's nail-biting 3-3 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
Incensed players surrounded referee Simon Hooper when he awarded a free-kick to City late in stoppage time after initially waving play on for a foul on Erling Haaland, who had played teammate Jack Grealish through on goal for what could have been a potentially match-winning moment.
City were charged under rule E20.1, which mandates that a club must ensure its players do not “behave in a way which is improper, offensive, violent, threatening, abusive, indecent, insulting or provocative”. The club has until Thursday to appeal against the charge.
Granted, no one wants to see players surrounding a referee like screaming hyenas at every contested call, but what looks "improper" or "threatening" or "provocative" through the FA's lens can look completely different through players'.
The idea of asking players to be robotic, disconnected, emotionally numb in high-pressure situations, when so much is at stake, is ludicrous, and worth examining.
Let's for a moment consider what the alternative reality would have looked like at that exact moment at the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland is cynically scythed down by Tottenham defender Emerson Royal just inside City's half. Haaland, being the brute force of nature he is, rides the challenge, turns, looks up, sees an ocean of green for Grealish to run into and plays a ball for his City teammate to bear down on goal. Hooper blows his whistle to signal a foul and a free kick to City.
City players march up the pitch ready for the ball to be hoofed up to them, no questions asked. The ref blows his whistle. Game over. Everyone shakes hands. You win some, you lose some. Cut to the live studio, Micah Richards champions Hooper for making a decision and sticking to it only to change his mind a second later, Roy Keane gently nods his approval.
That reality is neither achievable nor desirable.
Players connect to their fans, and vice versa, by overt displays of passion, whether through an elaborate goal celebration or when a sense of injustice, perceived or real, is inflicted on them.
It's often said that players feed off the crowd but it works the other way, too. A crunching tackle will often illicit one of the biggest roars from supporters, precisely because it conveys a sense that the player is giving his all for his team - and by extension his fans.
How would City supporters have received Haaland if he hadn't remonstrated, a giant blur of blond metaphorically pulling his hair out at a dubious call? What would City fans have thought of Kyle Walker if he did not speak to the referee – as the rules permit him to do as the team's captain, as long as it's within reason? Why would City fans or any other supporters expect their players to make their protests at a safe distance instead of in the proximity of the person who made the decision?
To be clear, this isn't advocating for the wholesale haranguing of referees over every decision nor a witch hunt of Hooper. It's definitely not a Man City sob story. The FA's guidelines are black and white when there is too much grey area. Clearly, there has to be a line between what's acceptable and what's not when approaching a referee. Violence and intimidation absolutely fall into the latter but questioning a referee's decision to wave play on one second only to call play back for a foul is one that all teams are surely entitled to make?
Anger is a universal emotion – we all get hacked off at something – and when it's something people feel passionate about – ie football – then there will be incidences when players, fans and coaches want immediate answers. The Premier League markets itself as the best in the world with the most passionate fans, does it really want its lucrative product diluted by asking its players to keep emotions in check?
Haaland made his position clear both in real time and digital, though the FA have said he will not face additional sanctions. It would be interesting to hear Hooper's take on it all. An otherwise fine game by the official was marred by one controversy, but if he was confident he made the right call then surely he can be confident it will stand up under scrutiny.
Alternatively, if he made a mistake, most (except maybe Manchester City) will forgive him for holding his hands up and owning it.
It seems inevitable City will be charged and fined. Hooper may find himself relegated for one week's duty in the second-tier Championship. Neither seems necessary. Mistakes were made, but that's what makes us human. That and being allowed to vent every now and again.
Man City v Spurs ratings
-
MAN CITY RATINGS: Reclaimed his spot in goal after being rested in midweek, but Ederson might feel he could have done better to keep out Son’s first goal. Stood no chance against Kulusevski’s header into the top corner. Getty -
Reliable when Spurs opted to play on the break. Gil stood no chance when matched against the pacy right-back, but Walker met his match up against Johnson for Spurs’ third. Reuters -
Often the last line of defence for City, Dias crucially cleared Johnson’s dangerous ball into the box after Gvardiol was beaten. EPA -
Preferred to Ake at left-back, Gvardiol found the pace of Spurs’ frontline a problem. Booked. Getty -
Picked up his fifth yellow card, which will see him suspended against Aston Villa, and leave Pep Guardiola with plenty of decisions. Narrowly missed an opportunity to restore City’s lead after his chipped effort went just wide. Getty -
Will be the centre of debates surrounding a penalty appeal in stoppage time when he appeared to be pushed by Skipp. AP -
Moved deeper into midfield as City came under pressure. He released Doku when he could have shot, and was rewarded moments later when he found space in the box to slot home City’s second. AFP -
Productive and intuitive, the Argentine found space to receive the ball and slip it through to Foden to net City’s second. He also came close to scoring himself. AP -
Should have added an assist to his name when he squared the ball to Haaland, but the Norwegian could only shoot narrowly wide. Forced a brilliant save from the out-stretched Vicario after half-time. AP -
Energetic on the wing, Doku caused problems for Porro and was only denied by the woodwork when he got the better of Davies. Limped off in the second half. PA -
Missed an open goal early on and should have put City out of sight before half-time, but despite failing to net, he still managed to add an assist. AP -
SUBS: (Doku 52’) – Converted from close range to restore City’s lead but will miss City’s visit to his former club Aston Villa after picking up a needless fifth yellow card of the season. AFP -
(Foden 73’) – Immediately involved in the action, playing a neat link-up with Rodri, who could only chip his effort over. AFP -
(Gvardiol 86’) – Beaten in the air by Kulusevski for Spurs’ third. AFP -
(Alvarez 86’) – Came on as City tried to hang on for the win. Reuters -
TOTTENHAM RATINGS: Straight into the action, Vicario had to keep a calm head as City pressured the Spurs goalkeeper. He could do little about Son’s deflected own goal and he was left exposed for City’s second. Pulled off a brilliant full-stretch save right after half-time after giving the ball away cheaply. Reuters -
Struggled to deal with Doku on the wing, Porro also looked a mismatch against Haaland for City’s equaliser. Booked. Getty -
Very fortunate to see Haaland miss an open goal after he was dispossessed in a dangerous area after playing the ball at the back. Looked shaky every time he touched the ball. Reuters -
Left isolated at the back for City’s second, whilst he could only back off from the weaving Doku, allowing him to hit the woodwork. Won a vital header in the run-up to Spurs’ second goal. Reuters -
Struggled in the first half to deal with City but much brighter in the second half as Spurs gained some composure, looking for opportunities in the box. Booked. AFP -
A deserved start for Lo Celso after his goal against Aston Villa and despite offering very little, scored his second goal in two games, beating Ederson with a low shot. Getty -
A disaster for Bissouma, who’d returned to Spurs’ starting XI from suspension, as he was punished for dithering in City’s half for Grealish’s goal. AFP -
The pacy winger caused problems on the ball for Gvardiol but lacked any real power with an effort in the second half. He later delivered an inch-perfect cross for Kulusevski to score the equaliser. AFP -
Played a key role in Spurs’ opening goal with a superb ball to find Son. Proved his determination during the closing stages, beating Ake in the air to score Spurs’ third. AP -
Brilliant in the build up to Spurs’ first goal, Gil’s neat turn was the catalyst in creating the move, laying the ball off to Kulusevski who then found Son. Saw his afternoon cut short by an early tactical switch. Getty -
A mixed afternoon for the South Korean, who netted Spurs’ first goal having been found by Kulusevski and beating Doku for speed. He was then unlucky to score an own goal and concede City’s equaliser. PA -
(Gil 46’) - Brought a sense of composure to Spurs’ midfield and made his presence felt with two early fouls on Haaland. Reuters -
(Lo Celso 79’) – Will be breathing a sigh of relief as City appealed for a penalty in the closing stages for a push on Akanji. Reuters -
(Bissouma 88’) – A surprise return to the bench from injury; Jamie Donley (Johnson 90+6’) Late change in stoppage time. PA
