Sam Dean discusses the importance of having a referee with previous experience of playing professional football as Farai Hallam, stuck with his on-field decision to deny Manchester City a penalty against Wolves, despite checking the pitch-side monitor 💪

He’s played the game and he still got it wrong? Just because you like someone doesn’t make them adept to any form of wrong doing. The referee got it wrong, and in this case Pep is being consistent. Here it didn’t cost us, last week it did and the week before etc. Terrible views from @skysports_sheth and co.

The fact that you have played football to have a valid point is bollocks we all got eyes and can see, Arsenal , Liverpool , villa and United fans as your self and try and be honest if this was against your team what would you be on about today

“I think that it’s really important that Howard Webb backs him completely, even if he thinks he’s wrong” 😂😂😂

You watch this will only happen against City. I can almost guarantee a similar incident today and it will be a penalty. I am starting to believe City have the nod regarding 115 and this is the way the EPL are getting back at them.

A ref with a backbone finally. It was a subjective decision so should stick with the on field decision, which he did. Well done to him.

Guardiola potentially curtailing the nascent career of a decent and promising young referee - in a scenario where the game was already won - in order to try and gain some advantage in future decisions is the act of a desperate and despicable man.

It will be like how everyman and his dog was saying Guehi is the best English centre half and it’s a case of who will start with him, watch that view slowly begin to change now he is a city player

His spiel this morning was so pro Arsenal and anti city and especially anti pep it was sickening

Btw any other manager in the league accused a ref of making something about himself would be facing an F.A charge by now.

Pep completely lost his head, it was the right descision

I wondered if he's played before because it would absolutely explain why he didn't give it. Look at Marmoushs arm position. So he's probably right it's a natural position for a player in that exact same circumstance.

If anything when you get a bad decision and you win is the perfect time to complain

Care to explain why the same thing today WAS given as a penalty in the Palace vs Chelsea game? Both cannot be right.

So because he played football means he can’t be wrong?!😳😳

Hear the argument, but I don’t fully agree. Refereeing is a craft and a passion in its own right. Understanding the laws, positioning, decision-making under pressure and consistency matter more than having played professionally. Playing experience can help, but it shouldn’t be a requirement for good officiating.

These are the same guys screaming at refs during Utd and Liverpool games 😂😂😂😂

Pep shouldn't give his opinion cuz he won??? One thing I'll always respect about Pep is that he won't change his opinion based on the game result.

He was shite and had the worst call ever. Bin him and all the rest useless ones 🚮

I've said this before, do you need to have been a criminal in order to be a policeman ? So why any different with football, a referee is there to interpret and apply the laws of the game, which does not require an ability to be able to play the game at the highest level. FACT

Put in on loop. I’m sure talkSPORT will join you. He made two wrong decisions in the same moment. He definitely did something we didn’t expect. So I respect for that. But had it been another way round I think he gives it

Well let’s see how Sean reacts when it’s given against him 🥴😂 We wait to see and hear . Will be refreshing when he says he shouldn’t have got the penalty

The west way of thinking is very disgusting to say the least! The way of thought is what i regard as colonial! Someone does something bad and erroneous, you leave that person and target the one reacting! Thats exactly what you did in your colonies!

This is utter foolishness a decision is wrong but we should care about the young referee's young career "even if he is wrong we should back him" are you even listening to your own crap ,well we can do the same for those who are having personal issues in their life

Ball to hand, same as when it’s kicked at point blank at someone who’s off balance! If that’s a penalty then there’s going to be 10 penalties a game!

Unless a player has moved their arm to block a ball or make themselves big it’s a natural position. It’s actually very easy to apply. In this case he has stretched with his leg to block a cross so his arm is absolutely in a natural position even if it’s away from his body.

The press talking about not over reacting, without a hint of irony

Or maybe Pep recognises that the best time to complain is when you have won a game because otherwise everybody just accuses you of being a sore loser. Farai had a shite first game and should have listened to his peers more. Hopefully he’ll learn from it.

I actually get this. Playing the game gives you context that slow-mo never will. You know what’s natural contact, what’s exaggerated, what a player can realistically do in that moment. VAR has people expecting refs to overturn everything, but sometimes the original call is still the right one. Going to the monitor doesn’t mean you have to change your mind. City fans will be angry because it went against them, but that decision felt consistent with how the game was being officiated. Maybe the bigger issue isn’t experience, it’s clarity. Nobody really knows what a penalty is anymore.

The problem here is 1 of consistency,from now on any player with theirarms out to the side has to be deemed to have had them in a natural position.Any unintentional contact with the ball can’t now result in a penalty.I understand why this ref is being praised but 10/10 its a pen

Bro says Back him even if it was wrong decision !! Where’s the fair play!! or this is match fixing or corruption games ??

Experience matters—having a referee who’s played professionally, like Hallam, can bring calm and perspective even in controversial moments. ⚽💪

So his experience tod him the arm was in a natural position did it!

Premier League media, come on. Pep was right about his complaint. It's a breath of fresh air for referees to be firm against influence, especially for a debutant. However, 99/100 times in the PL, that's a penalty.