Former Premier Referee Explains Why Arsenal’s Goal Against Man City Should Have Been Disallowed
In a dramatic showdown at the Etihad Stadium, Arsenal and Manchester City played to a thrilling 2-2 draw that had fans on the edge of their seats. However, the result has ignited a fresh debate about the integrity of officiating, particularly concerning Arsenal’s first goal, which former Premier League referee Mark Halsey believes should have been disallowed.
The match saw Arsenal take the lead thanks to goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel, after Erling Haaland opened the scoring for City. With tensions running high, Arsenal seemed to be in control at halftime, leading 2-1. However, a pivotal moment came when Leandro Trossard received a red card, forcing the Gunners to retreat defensively as they aimed to protect their slender advantage.
As the clock ticked down, City equalized through John Stones in the 98th minute, but it was the circumstances surrounding Calafiori’s opening goal that have drawn sharp scrutiny. Halsey highlighted a critical moment that he feels went unnoticed by match officials. According to him, the quick free-kick taken by Thomas Partey, which led to Calafiori’s strike, was mishandled due to referee Michael Oliver’s management of the game.
Halsey commented, “Kyle Walker had every right to feel aggrieved over Riccardo Calafiori’s 22nd-minute goal. Ref Michael Oliver called the City captain over for a chat after the Gunners had been awarded a free-kick, which is fine. But the issue is he allowed Thomas Partey to take the set-piece quickly and, with Walker out of position, Arsenal ended up scoring.”
He continued, “Walker was rightly furious. When a referee calls a player over, he must allow him to get back into position. Oliver should have restarted the game once Walker had returned to his right-back spot. The goal came because Walker was out of position and Gabriel Martinelli exploited the space before teeing up Calafiori.”
City manager Pep Guardiola echoed Halsey’s sentiments, expressing frustration over the incident. Guardiola was seen kicking his chair in anger after the free-kick was taken several yards away from the original foul, a claim he voiced to the match officials.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, too, had grievances of his own. He was incensed by Trossard’s second yellow card for kicking the ball away just before halftime, especially as he felt Jeremy Doku had escaped punishment for a similar act. Additionally, Arteta was visibly upset that his team conceded a goal beyond the seven minutes of added stoppage time, further amplifying his team’s frustration in what was already a contentious match.
As debates around officiating continue to swirl, the focus remains on how such crucial moments can sway the outcome of tightly contested matches. For Arsenal, the bittersweet draw raises questions about the fairness of the decisions that shaped the match, while City will lament the missed opportunities and questionable calls that left them with just a point.
Former Premier Referee Explains Why Arsenal’s Goal Against Man City Should Have Been Disallowed
