The Premier League has made a major decision regarding the referee who refused to award a penalty to Manchester City during their 2-0 win over Wolves on Saturday afternoon. Farai Hallam was making his top-flight debut at the Etihad Stadium when he shocked everyone by bravely sticking with his initial decision after being sent to the pitchside monitor to review a potential handball incident.
It’s become something of an expectation that, if a referee is summoned by VAR to review their own decision, they are almost always persuaded to change their mind. So when Yerson Mosquera appeared to make his body bigger as the ball hit his arm, preventing Omar Marmoush from continuing his run into the box, everyone expected a penalty to be given. Watch the incident below:
Announcing the decision in the stadium, Hallam said: “After review, the ball hits the arm of the Wolves player, which is in a natural position, so the on-field decision will remain.” It earned him plenty of plaudits from fans who praised his bravery in going against VAR, but it also brought an earful from City boss Pep Guardiola at full-time.
Premier League Make Decision on Farai Hallam
Omar Marmoush and Yerson Mosquera
Following the controversy and Guardiola’s furious outburst, Hallam has not been selected to oversee any Premier League games in matchweek 24, according to The Sun. The PGMOL and Premier League chiefs have been known to take officials out of the firing line after a controversial decision in the past.
While previous examples of this happening - such as when Darren England and Simon Hooper were caught in the eye of the storm over their miscommunication during Tottenham vs Liverpool, when Luis Diaz’s perfectly onside goal was ruled out - usually relate to major mistakes, that isn’t always the case.
In this instance, it’s more than likely that Guardiola’s comments have encouraged the PGMOL to take Hallam out of the limelight, in case he becomes subject to further unnecessary fury, rather than an admission that he made the wrong decision.
What Pep Guardiola Said About Rookie Referee
man city pep guardiola
The Man City boss took on the role of bully in his post-match press conference, directing plenty of criticism at the 32-year-old referee. “The player’s arm is out from his body. The ref made a huge debut… so now everyone will know him, but it’s OK," he told reporters.
“It’s the first time they go to a TV and disallow what is a ‘normal’ position of the arms.” Oozing sarcasm, Guardiola said he expected PGMOL chief Howard Webb to be in touch, adding: “I’m waiting for a phone call to explain why it wasn’t a penalty.” It was these comments that no doubt played a role in Hallam's upcoming weekend off.
Although the state of refereeing in England needs addressing, Guardiola's side still found the 2-0 victory comfortable as they reduced the gap to league leaders Arsenal to just four points, which made his eruption feel a little inopportune.