PGMOL chief Howard Webb explains non-advantage decision during Man City's draw with Tottenham that sent Erling Haaland into fit of rage

Referee Simon Hooper blew the whistle to stop play just as Jack Grealish was sent through on goal in stoppage time at the end of the game on December 3. The official initially waved play on after Erling Haaland was fouled by Emerson Royal but, just as the striker sent the ball through to Grealish, the move was halted and a foul was given.

Hooper's decision sparked fury among the City squad, with Haaland angrily confronting the referee. The reactions have resulted in City being hit with a charge for failing to control their players by the Football Association.

Webb, the head of the The Professional Game Match Officials Board, said on Sky Sports that the officials made a mistake. He said: Yeah, it is an officiating mistake, and you’re right, the VAR has no part to play in this. Of course, we’re always looking, as officials, to have that positive influence on the game, by trying to identify occasions when we can allow the game to play through an advantage. And Simon Hooper, the referee on this occasion, is normally good at identifying those things. On this particular occasion, he sees a pretty strong, reckless foul challenge by Emerson Royal on Haaland. It’s in midfield, and the ball comes backwards. He does the hard work, he just hesitates a moment to see if an advantage is possible. But he recognises in his mind, thinking it through, that it was a strong challenge, it was reckless, he is going to have to caution.

"At ground level, it’s not quite so easy to see the way that things are playing out as it is from an elevated view. And he decides to penalise just at the moment as the ball’s about to go, he blows the whistle, and then realises that a wonderful advantage was available. And for sure, he was devastated. He’d refereed the game really well for 93 minutes, but he knows this is going to be the only talking point. Really close to the end of the game, I understand the disappointment that Manchester City felt on this one, because it would have been a wonderful advantage. He just formed the opinion to blow just at the wrong time. It looked like he was ready to play advantage."

City will await the FA's ruling after charging them over the behaviour of their star players towards the referee in the wake of the incident. In the meantime, Pep Guardiola's team will take on Crvena Zvezda in the Champions League on Wednesday.