The shirt-pulling debate

Was Mike Dean correct to award two penalties in Man City’s win at Stoke?

That’s been a topic of debate this weekend after the referee penalised Ryan Shawcross’ grab on Nicolas Otamendi from a corner before giving Stoke a spot kick when Raheem Sterling failed to play the ball when marking Shawcross in the second half.

Referees have been told to clamp down on players pulling shirts inside the box this season, but Dean’s decisions have prompted plenty of comment from managers and pundits.

Watch the incidents for yourself above and read what others have said…

Mark Hughes – Stoke manager

“As usual at this time of the year there is a directive out there and certain teams maybe get penalised for that. That’s fine as long as it is consistent until the end of the season. Usually it isn’t, so we will have to wait and see. All I’m saying is it needs to be invoked in this game and in every other game. I have found in my experience these new directives are jumped on in the opening weeks of the season and then everyone forgets them. Unfortunately we’ve had a penalty go against us in a key period of the game.”

Pep Guardiola – Man City manager

“We have to be careful. I don’t know what will happen in six months’ time with this rule so that’s why I like to defend with zonal marking because it is not man to man. You just attack the ball, maybe block sometimes if the people come and then attack the ball. It was a little bit strange and I am sure Mark Hughes can say the …

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