Ref Watch: Simon Hooper 'Technically did nothing wrong' over Man City call against Tottenham

During the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, referee Simon Hooper made a controversial decision that raised many eyebrows. 

The incident occurred in a critical moment of the match when the score was tied at 3-3. Hooper initially allowed play to continue following a challenge on Manchester City's Erling Haaland but then pulled back play when Jack Grealish broke through the Spurs' defence.

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher reviewed this incident. He stated that, technically by law, Hooper did nothing wrong. 

Gallagher pointed out that referees have the discretion to play advantage, and Hooper chose to exercise this right. 

He suggested that the timing of Hooper's decision was crucial, acknowledging that waiting even a second longer could have changed the entire situation of the game.

Gallagher further explained that Hooper's decision to stop play, though controversial, did not violate any rules. 

He emphasized that the choice to play advantage is solely at the referee's discretion, and in this case, Hooper did not breach any laws of the game.

As previously reported by Pulse Sports, referee decisions in the Premier League can be highly contentious and often scrutinized. 

In a similar vein, former Premier League official Mark Clattenburg backed referee Michael Oliver's decision not to dismiss Manchester City's Ruben Dias for a challenge on Arsenal's Ben White. 

This incident, like Hooper's decision, was reviewed by VAR. Clattenburg noted that VAR and Oliver made the right call as Dias used little physical force in his kick, justifying a yellow card rather than a red. 

This background highlights the ongoing debates and intricacies involved in refereeing decisions in the Premier League, where the use of VAR continues to be a critical and often divisive tool.