City were involved in another VAR talking point during Sunday’s 5-3 win over Sunderland, with Regis Le Bris adamant his side should have been awarded a penalty at the Etihad Stadium.
Sunderland were trailing 3-2 when Elliot Anderson handled the ball while challenging Enzo Le Fee inside the City area. Referee Rob Jones waved away the appeals and VAR Michael Salisbury did not send him to the monitor. Antoine Semenyo scored City’s fourth less than two minutes later.
Le Bris unhappy with Man City handball decision
“It was hard to see that as not a handball,” Le Bris said afterwards. “It is what it is and we have to accept the decision. It’s hard to comment.”
There was more to the incident than Anderson’s handball, however. Match of the Day presenter Kelly Cates said information received from the officials indicated Le Fee appeared to handle the ball first. Anderson’s proximity to the ball and the position of his arm were also taken into account.
Joe Hart initially thought City had got away with one.
“I thought it was a penalty,” the former City goalkeeper said after watching the first replay.
A different angle showed Le Fee’s contact and changed his mind, with Hart saying the first offence was actually by the Sunderland midfielder.
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey disagreed. He felt Anderson had moved his arm towards the ball and believed Salisbury should have recommended an on-field review.
It was not the last involvement for VAR. Erling Haaland’s 81st-minute goal was initially disallowed for offside before a review showed the striker was onside and City’s fifth was awarded.
By then Sunderland had already responded to Semenyo’s second goal, with Brian Brobbey completing his hat-trick in the 59th minute to make it 4-3.
The Anderson decision therefore came at a significant point in the afternoon. Sunderland thought they should have had the chance to equalise from the spot; the officials saw enough during the VAR check to leave Jones’s original decision alone.
Le Bris clearly wasn’t convinced.
Read our pre-match profile of referee Rob Jones.
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