A Premier League referee has been left without a match assignment this weekend following a VAR-related decision that drew sharp criticism after Manchester City’s recent home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The official, Farai Hallam, was overseeing his first Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium when a first-half incident involving a potential handball sparked prolonged debate and an angry response from City manager Pep Guardiola.
Decision that sparked controversy
During City’s 2–0 victory last Saturday, Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera was judged to have handled the ball inside the penalty area, prompting intervention from the video assistant referee.
Hallam was sent to the pitch-side monitor to review the incident but ultimately chose not to award a penalty, sticking with his original on-field decision.
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Explaining the ruling to the stadium, Hallam said:
“After review, the ball hits the arm of the Wolves player, which is in a natural position, so the on-field decision will remain.”
The call ran counter to expectations among City supporters and quickly became the central talking point after the match.
Guardiola’s reaction
Guardiola did not hide his frustration when speaking to reporters afterwards, questioning both the interpretation of the handball law and the review process itself.
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“The player’s arm is out from his body,” Guardiola said.
“The ref made a huge debut… so now everyone will know him, but it’s OK.
It’s the first time they go to a TV and disallowed what is a ‘normal’ position of the arms.”
He later added, in a sarcastic reference to Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief Howard Webb:
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“I’m waiting for a phone call to explain why it wasn’t a penalty.”
Referee rotation follows
Hallam has not been appointed to officiate any Premier League fixtures in the upcoming round of matches.
While PGMOL does not publicly comment on individual appointments, it is standard practice for officials to be rotated out of fixtures following high-profile or contentious decisions, allowing scrutiny to subside.
What’s next
Manchester City return to action in midweek with a Champions League fixture against Galatasaray, before resuming their domestic campaign on Sunday away to Tottenham Hotspur. That match will be refereed by Rob Jones.
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Sources: Premier League match reports, PGMOL procedures, post-match press conferences
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