The defending Premier League champions have three straight victories to start the season, but were the referees in their favor when they scored the contentious second goal against Fulham on Saturday?
Former Premier League official Mike Dean insisted that Manchester City’s contentious winning goal against Fulham on Saturday should NOT have stood.
Nathan Ake’s header gave the champions the lead with five minutes remaining in the first half at the Etihad, where the game was closely contested at 1-1
In spite of Cottagers goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s desperation dive, the Dutchman’s effort found the bottom corner. But as City players ran off to celebrate, the visitors, who had originally claimed offside, immediately complained to match official Michael Oliver.
Phil Foden’s outswinging corner was the source of Ake’s header from 12 yards out, and by the time the ball reached the adaptable defender, Fulham’s defenders had cleared the six-yard box.
As a result, Manuel Akanji was forced to stand in an offside position, forcing the Swiss to jump over Ake’s shot as it traveled toward the bottom corner.
Nathan Ake moves in the direction of the objective.
The ball moved toward defeating Bernd Leno, forcing Manuel Akanji to leap over it.
The goal was awarded after a VAR review.
And former referee Dean, a former VAR official who now works for Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, immediately criticized that choice.
“In my view, it simply cannot stand.
He must be interfering since he jumped over the ball.
Leno is hesitant because the player is present.
“.Simply put, it must be forbidden.”.
Michael Dawson continued, “Leno takes an additional step because he anticipates Akanji will make an additional touch.”.
I’m surprised it hasn’t been called for an offside, said Shay Given, a former City goalkeeper.
The goalkeeper sees Akanji clearly in his field of vision, jumps out of the way, and Leno waits before reacting after Akanji has passed.
So you can’t tell me that he isn’t obstructing the goalkeeper’s line.
For fear that Akanji will touch the ball, he must wait.”.
The rules of the game, however, state that interference is only illegal when someone is “clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent.”.
The laws state that the match officials made the correct decision in this instance if Akanji was attempting to move out of the way of Ake’s header while aware that he was in an offside position.
You simply have to admit that the law is an ass at times.
Before Erling Haaland made it 3-1 for the hosts just before the hour, Tim Ream had earlier cancelled out Julian Alvarez’s 31st-minute goal. The giant Norwegian scored from the spot in the 70th minute to give City its fourth goal of the day and give him five league goals for the year.
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