Manchester City was handed a fine of 120,000 pounds ($150,000) by the Football Association (FA) for dissent shown to the referee by their players at the end of their 3-3 draw with Tottenham in a Premier League game this month. In the dying moments of added time of the match, Haaland was brought down by a foul, yet miraculously managed to thread a pass that sent Grealish sprinting towards the goal. However, despite appearing to signal an advantage, referee Simon Hooper unexpectedly halted the play. This decision triggered an outburst of fury from both the City players and their supporters, who believed that the opportunity for an advantage had been unfairly denied. Pep Guardiola ‘Pleased and Excited’ by Manchester City’s Prospect of Securing FIFA Club World Cup 2023.

Then, several of City's stars, including Haaland were enraged by Hooper's decision, surrounding the referee to vent their fury at him, with the Norwegian appearing to shout at the official. "Manchester City FC have been fined £120,000 after their players surrounded a match official at the Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur FC on Sunday 3 December. Manchester City FC admitted that they failed to ensure their players did not behave in an improper way during the 94th minute. An independent Regulatory Commission imposed this sanction following a hearing," an FA statement read. Haaland also published several posts on his social media after the match, venting his frustration at the decision, but was not charged by the governing body for the statements.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2023 04:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).