Graham Poll has criticised Andre Marriner’s refereeing during Tottenham’s 2-2 draw at Manchester City.
Former Premier League referee Graham Poll has told the Daily Mail that referee Andre Marriner should have sent Tottenham defender Kyle Walker off during Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Manchester City.
Spurs travelled to the Etihad Stadium in search of a seventh straight Premier League win on Saturday evening, but were 2-0 down early into the second half as Leroy Sane and Kevin De Bruyne both profited from Hugo Lloris errors to score.
Tottenham looked to be heading towards defeat, but hit back when Dele Alli headed home Kyle Walker’s cross, and Heung-min Son then struck to grab a point for Spurs in a 2-2 draw.
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling in action with Tottenham’s Kyle Walker and Hugo Lloris
However, the equaliser was shrouded in controversy, as just moments before Son hit the equaliser, City had an appeal for a penalty turned down – which should have been given.
Raheem Sterling was played clean through on goal, only for Spurs full back Walker to push him in the back, meaning Sterling stumbled and hit his shot straight at Hugo Lloris, and Tottenham immediately went down the other end of the pitch and scored.
Former referee Graham Poll
The incident has been debated ever since the game, and former Premier League referee Graham Poll has offered his take on Andre Marriner’s decision to wave play on.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Poll suggested that Marriner wasn’t keeping up with play well enough, and if he had have been, he would have seen Walker’s push on Sterling far more clearly.
Poll added that it wouldn’t only have been a penalty for City, but also a red card for Tottenham – and at 2-1 to City at that point, it could have been a much different outcome had Walker have been sent off for his push.
“Tottenham’s Walker clearly pushed Sterling in the back when the City man was clean through on goal,” said Poll. “Had Marriner been up with play and wide, as he should be, he would have seen and punished Walker with not just a penalty but a red card as well,” he added.
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