Worrying trend in the Premier League
MUCH has been made of last week’s F1 motor racing fiasco amid accusations that the new owners of the sport have a not-so-hidden agenda to attract more spectators and viewers. One wonders if there is an equally hidden agenda in football’s Premier League.
From time immemorial it has been the sport of spectators to taunt referees for apparent wrong decisions and I can admit guilt in that respect, especially when I see the replays on Match of the Day and admit that what I thought was refereed incorrectly was in fact often, but not always correct.
What I am seeing this season is worrying. Firstly, why was a Manchester-based referee allowed to officiate in Newcastle’s match at Old Trafford? A dodgy penalty was awarded to the home team.
On Wednesday night we had a Liverpool-based referee officiating at Anfield. He laughably claims that he is a Tranmere supporter. It would be more palatable if he claimed to support Everton.
His decision not to stop the game when Hayden was lying in the goal area holding his head was against current guidelines when head injuries are concerned but to indicate his obvious bias, when a Liverpool defender went down injured outside the penalty area but not with a head injury the referee immediately stopped the game.
The first decision greatly affected the game as it was at the time. We have the questionable decision regarding a possible penalty when Fraser was brought down by a tackle from behind. The night before Arsenal were awarded a penalty against West Ham when their player was similarly brought down.
West ham supporters are naturally incensed because of ‘lack of consistency’. In that respect they are wrong, the verdict favoured a ‘big six’ club on both occasions.
In fact, most of the penalties awarded against Newcastle this season have been criticised by unbiased pundits. Only the biased ones who use excuses such as ‘ he was touched so was entitled to go down claim a penalty to be the right decision. The dodgy penalty at Leicester last week was only agreed by one pundit on Match of the Day and he was a lifetime diver. This is not sport, it is cheating.