Kompany happy to be fined to get message across
BURNLEY V WOLVES 7.45PM
VINCENT KOMPANY does not care if he is fined after claiming the standard of refereeing “hasn’t been good enough this season”.
Kompany was sent off at Chelsea for disputing Lorenz Assignon’s controversial red card and penalty in the latest in a long line of calls against Burnley.
And Clarets manager Kompany said: “I’ll keep saying what I think – I’m not shying away and I’ve said it to the referees that refereeing hasn’t been good enough this season.
“I’ve said that in a constructive way, understanding the fact it’s not easy for them, the scrutiny is massive, the pressure is bigger than it’s ever been on the officials.
“The addition of VAR, and more opinions and more officials, doesn’t make it easy for them to do their jobs.
“But I came into this country and said at the beginning of last season that English refereeing was the best in the world. Always.
“I felt common sense was always trying to be applied. You make a mistake and we all have a laugh about it and usually the traditional view is that it all evens itself out over the course of a season.
“This year, I haven’t felt like this. Where we are in the league doesn’t really matter for me, it’s not in that conversation. “It’s just when I draw on my years of experience, there’s a lack of consistency and there’s a little reflection needed to make sure we improve the standards in our game.
“I’m not afraid to say that. I remember I saw the interview of my colleague, Chris Wilder who I really respect, and he said he’s a hard-working Yorkshireman and he doesn’t want to be fined anymore. I haven’t got any issues with being fined.”
Burnley’s 10 men produced their best display of the season to draw 2-2 at Chelsea and they are just four points below the safety line. Kompany wants them to seize their chance ahead of tonight’s clash with Wolves. “All we’re asking is to have an opportunity,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wolves manager Gary O’Neil says Matheus Cunha, below, has turned into a phone pest, such is his desperation to return to the side.The striker has been sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury, and O’Neil said: “Matheus looks ready – he rang me about four times between 9.30-10pm, telling me how ready he is.”
BURNLEY (probable): Muric; Vitinho, Esteve, O’Shea, Taylor; Bruun Larsen, Cullen, Berge, Odobert; Amdouni; Fofana.
WOLVES (probable): Sa; Bueno S, Kilman, Toti; Semedo, Gomes, Doyle, Ait-Nouri; Sarabia, Lamina, Cunha.