Erling Haaland may face an FA charge for his post-match outburst on Twitter, criticizing match officials after Man City’s 3-3 draw with Tottenham.
The Norwegian striker expressed frustration with referee Simon Hooper’s decision to blow the whistle just as Jack Grealish was through on goal.
Haaland posted a clip of the incident on social media, accompanied by the abbreviation “WTF,” which could potentially leading to disciplinary action from the English FA.
The striker also confronted Hooper on the pitch and exchanged words with Tottenham’s Gio Lo Celso at full-time.
Pep Guardiola, who was also disappointed with the way the match ended, acknowledged Haaland’s disappointment but refrained from direct criticism.
Guardiola said, “It surprised me because when Erling went down, if you whistle in that moment it’s fine. But he stands up and continues, and the referee in that moment makes that gesture to ‘play on, play on.’ And after Erling makes the pass, he then stops the game.”
Meanwhile, City could also face FA scrutiny for players surrounding the referee.
Rodri and Grealish will miss the next match against Aston Villa due to accumulating a total of five bookings since start of the season, based on new EPL rules.
Guardiola defended Haaland’s reaction, noting that many players could be disappointed in such a situation.
On the other hand, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou acknowledged his team might have “got away with one.”
He praised his players’ character and effort in securing a point against City in the away clash.
