- Football is the centerfold of sporting emotions
- Premier League controversies in 2023 isn’t much of a surprise
- This is exactly what happened in the first half of the 2023/24 EPL season
Football is the centrefold of sporting emotions and Premier League controversies in 2023 aren’t much of a surprise. Every sporting season always has several incidences touching off fierce debates or stirring unchartered waters.
This is exactly what happened in the first half of the 2023/24 EPL season. Football pitches in the UK and locker rooms have had so much going on. This article brings you inside details of these controversies
PREMIER LEAGUE CONTROVERSIES IN 2023
VAR
Though it was supposed to bring about a revolution in fair play, the Video Assistant Referee, or VAR is now embroiled in controversy. It has caused equal amounts of indignation and confusion, with offside calls so close that they need to be reviewed by officials and inconsistent penalty decisions.
Martinelli thought he had scored but VAR overuled the goal. Photo/Telegraph
So, here is why the VAR compounds Premier League controversies in 2023. In the Chelsea match, nine VAR checks disrupted the flow of the game, raising concerns about overuse and its impact on the game. With its extensive scrutiny, some decisions still felt arbitrary, further fueling frustration.
On marginal offside calls, a disallowed Luis Diaz goal in the Liverpool match highlighted the contentious nature of millimetre-perfect offside calls. In upholding the offside rule, the VAR lacks “clear and obvious error” threshold which makes players and fans feel shortchanged.
Further, inconsistency between matches in the games mentioned above created an image of bias. Unfortunately, Tottenham seemingly was the victim of this bias which puts to question the objectivity of this referee-assisting technology. With all these mishaps, bad VAR calls take away the joy of fame and replaces it with emotions and anger.
PREMIER LEAGUE DOCKING EVERTON POINTS
Premier League controversies in 2023 include Everton’s 10-point penalty for breaching financial rules. Premier League has laid down an amount of money that clubs should annually to maintain equity which Everton flouted thereby creating inequity. Clubs may incur maximum losses under the P&S Rules of up to £105 million during a three-year period.
The Premier League discovered that Everton had incurred losses of £124.5 million between 2019 and 2022, exceeding this cap. The Premier League blamed Everton’s financial misdeeds on a number of things, including excessive player wage expenditures. The cost of Everton’s players surpassed its revenue in recent years, raising concerns about the club’s salary bill
Over the last few years, Everton overspent on its acquisition of players and tried so hard to conceal this fact. Upon investigations by Premier League, the team was found guilty and docked 10 points as a result. This 10-point penalty sent Everton tumbling down the league table, putting them closer to relegation than the championship.
MANCHESTER CITY CHARGED BY FA
Erling Haaland of Manchester City confront referee Simon Hooper. Photo/Eurosport
Following their contentious 3–3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City are facing charges by the FA for player misconduct. City’s Jack Grealish was denied a clear goal due to a previous alleged foul in the 94th minute.
City players, particularly Erling Haaland, surrounded the referee, protesting the decision and delaying the game. This “improper behaviour” violates FA rules, potentially landing the club a fine or other penalties.
The incident adds fuel to the fire of the already heated match, which saw dramatic swings of momentum and a late Spurs equalizer. While City remain title contenders, their players’ conduct could cast a shadow on their season by sinking the team to Premier League controversies in 2023.
REFEREE CALLS
Several controversial referee calls clouded the 2023–24 Premier League season. The most recent one happened during the highly anticipated match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Jack Grealish had a clear advantage, but the game was stopped by referee Simon Hooper for a foul on Erling Haaland of Man City.
On October 28, 2023, penalty called by referee Anthony Taylor just before halftime enabled Newcastle earn a draw from a match with Wolves. Replays, nevertheless, revealed that Hwang Hee-chan’s kick against Callum Wilson was not that strong.
IVAN TONEY SUSPENDED FOR EIGHT MONTHS
Ivan Toney, a Brentford striker was in May handed an eight-month football ban for placing 232 bets on football matches over a four-year period. The Football Association (FA) revealed in a report that Toney has an official mental diagnosis of gambling addiction, listing seven betting atrocities he has perpetrated.
After two interviews and a video conference call during one of Toney’s hearings with the FA, Dr. Philip Hopley made the diagnosis.
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