Erling Haaland, who usually makes headlines for smashing goal-scoring records, has now been turning heads for his altercation with Premier League referee Simon Hooper. Enraged at Hooper’s controversial decision, the Manchester City ace fired back at the former with NSFW rants on the field and later on social media. Apparently, Haaland came so close to getting penalized by the English Football Association. But the Norwegian comes clean this time. However, the FA’s decision to not charge Haaland seems to have raised eyebrows in soccer circles.

Recently, players and coaches alike have faced FA charges for verbally confronting match officials. It is at this juncture that a high-profile star like Haaland walked scot-free without paying a prize. Thus, the FA is currently under fire from a soccer pundit for its management of the Haaland-Hooper debacle.

FA called out for letting Erling Haaland walk free after an altercation with referee

Erling Haaland lost his cool against Simon Hooper after the latter denied Manchester City a vital chance to win against Tottenham Hotspur. Despite playing advantage for City, Hooper called a foul when Jack Grealish came close to scoring the winner from Haaland’s pass.

Subsequently, the no.9 fumed at Hooper, yelling, ‘F**k off.’ While Manchester City stars and boss Pep Guardiola backed Haaland, a Sky Sports pundit is incensed at him, deeming his gesture uncouth. Besides, the analyst is also unhappy with the FA for not charging the 23-year-old.

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“Guys like Erling Haaland, and that is my frustration. The FA hasn’t used this opportunity to bring a charge against him. Such a high-profile incident, and the manner in which he screamed in the referee’s face,” said the Sky Sports analyst. Moreover, he also stressed that referees deserve much more respect, as they get things right more often than not.

Even though Haaland escaped individual charges, the FA has now charged Manchester City for their players’ gesture towards the referee.

Erling Haaland escapes charges, but Manchester City face the music!

Erling Haaland risked FA charges not only for his on-field antics but also for posting a snippet of Hooper’s controversial call on X, with the caption “wtf.” Even this gesture from the Manchester City star went unpunished. However, the FA has charged the reigning Premier League champions, as the City players surrounded referee Simon Hooper. They charged City for the breach of rule E20.1 in terms of the conduct of their players.

READ MORE: “We’re All Human”- Bernardo Silva Defends Referee Simon Hooper Despite Erling Haaland’s Harsh Comments After Tottenham Hotspur Draw

Manchester City personnel, including Pep Guardiola, have refused to condemn refereeing or the recent FA charge to prevent the fiasco from escalating further. What do you think about FA’s verdict? Do you agree with FA? Let us know in the comments below.

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