The anger of the refereeing decisions in Manchester City has been taken to a new level when a re-released film of a previous Premier League CEO, Richard Scudamore. In the video, Scudamore alluded to a strategy of changing the name of the trophy every six years, which has brought controversy to the fairness in the league. Although the case of referees in the Premier League is frequently a hot topic in the news, this clip brings another dimension of interest.
The recent 2-2 draw of City and Tottenham shows the reason to be concerned. Dominating 2-0, City conceded the first goal of Tottenham but the referee did not believe Solanke had fouled Marc Guehi. The goal has been verified by VAR and Pep Guardiola and his team have been frustrated once again. Such controversial moves have seen City fall six points behind Arsenal, which are on the verge of winning their very first premier league title since 2004.
In my opinion, it is not a matter of one team being unlucky. The Premier League refereeing scandal is an example of how the referee judgment and VAR interpretation can tip the scales during close title matches. Although there is no official policy that determines the results, perception is a factor in football. Fans and pundits are now doubting whether consistency is being upheld to the top.
City now needs to concentrate on the things they can control, which are performances on the pitch. Guardiola stressed on discipline, concentration, and reduction of mistakes. But the debates around refereeing continue to keep the debates going out of the field too. The decision of every match would be a determining factor in the title race.
