Gray escapes City dive ban
LEICESTER’S in-form winger, Demarai Gray, has avoided a ban after angering Pep Guardiola in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final.
Gray won a penalty deep in injury-time against Manchester City after a challenge by Kyle Walker resulted in referee Bobby Madley awarding Leicester an equalising spot-kick.
The incident infuriated the City manager and was referred to an FA advisory panel with a view to charging him with “successful deception of an official”.
That rule, designed to stamp out “simulation”, has already punished Everton’s Oumar Niasse and Manuel Lanzini of West Ham, who were found guilty of diving.
But in order for a player to be charged, the FA’s panel must reach a unanimous agreement that he attempted to deceive the referee.
And it is understood that panel – made up of a former referee, player and manager – failed to reach such an agreement over Gray, clearing the player for Leicester’s Christmas campaign, which starts with Saturday night’s home clash against Manchester United. BRIGHTON defender Connor Goldson is set to make his Premier League debut – 10 months after life-saving heart surgery.
Goldson, 25, admitted he feared he would die after routine screening in February detected he had an enlarged aorta. The centre-back, right, is in line to replace the suspended Shane Duffy against Watford on Saturday.