Gameweek 19
#7 Controversial decisions
Trending
(a) Referee Lee Mason had a shocker but should thank his stars for his decision not costing Manchester United 3 points. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had successfully managed to score off a Martial cross but Mason ruled it out for an apparent high foot. TV replays highlighted Zlatan going for goal, having eyes only on the ball with no intent to hurt Boro keeper Victor Valdes.
(b) First, Daniel Amartey and then Håvard Nordtveit should have both seen red at the King Power where the Foxes hosted West Ham. The hosts’ midfielder escaped for his dangerous tackle on Mark Noble while Nordtveit’s nasty challenge on Ben Chilwell was unpunished.
(c) Spurs could and should have had a penalty early on in the game when Étienne Capoue stuck out a hand in the box which directly obstructed a Spurs shot but referee Michael Oliver waved play on. The visitors, however, routed their abject hosts 4-1 and the decision did not prove too costly.
Gameweek 20
Controversial decisions
(a) Referee Mike Dean sent off Sofiane Feghouli 15 minutes into the game against Manchester United, altering the nature of the game. Feghouli was on the ground when Phil Jones came sliding into him – not the other way around – and got caught in the follow-through.
Not only was it a harsh call against the Hammers, it was incorrect too - the card was rescinded by the FA later following an appeal. Slaven Bilic’s men, however, were forced to battle with a man down for the majority of the game.
That was not all from Dean and his officials, though; United’s second goal should not have counted as Zlatan had strayed offside but the linesman and Dean missed it.
(b) Referee Robert Madley missed awarding a foul and penalty to Middlesbrough after Adama Traore went to ground just inside the edge of the box following Robert Huth’s leg stuck out to trip. The offender himself acknowledged post-match that it was a foul and the oversight may have cost Boro 3 points on the occasion.
(c) Watford could have had a penalty against Stoke before the hosts buried the game with two goals. The ball struck Glen Johnson’s arm but referee Neil Swarbrick did not deem it fit to call; whether a potential goal could have lifted an otherwise abject Hornets is not the point here.
