"Leadership was good, but there is a lack of understanding of game regulations."
Tottenham News reported on the 28th of last month (Korea time) that "Son Heung-min is expected to be investigated by the FA."
The match took place on the 27th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, during the 27th round of the Premier League for the 2024-2025 season against Manchester City. On that day, Tottenham lost 0-1 after conceding a goal to Erling Haaland in the 12th minute of the first half.
Son Heung-min was excluded from the starting lineup but was substituted in the 22nd minute of the second half, leading the team's counterattack. In the 39th minute of the second half, he attempted a decisive shot, but it was blocked by Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson, failing to score.
The controversial scene occurred during injury time in the second half. Four minutes of injury time were given for that match. Around the 93rd minute, Haaland scored an additional goal, which was cancelled following a video review (VAR) that confirmed a handball foul. Despite this process taking more than two minutes, the referee did not grant any additional time.
The Tottenham players reacted violently to this. They strongly protested to referee Jarred Gillett, and among them, Son Heung-min was captured on broadcast camera being the most active in his appeal.
Keith Hackett, former Chairperson of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), warned that Son Heung-min's actions could become subject to disciplinary action after the match.
Hackett said through Tottenham Hotspur News, "Referee Gillett made very good decisions in the recent match. In particular, correctly ruling Haaland's handball and cancelling the goal was an appropriate judgment. Nevertheless, Tottenham players expressed dissatisfaction with the referee's decision and protested excessively."
He continued, "Son Heung-min persistently protested vigorously to the referee even after the match ended. This may be included in the referees’ match report, and the FA may conduct an additional investigation. A warning should have been given immediately for the authority of the referees."
He criticized Son Heung-min's actions, saying, "If Son Heung-min had complaints about the injury time, he should read Section 5 of the Premier League match regulations. The sole timekeeper of the match is the referee. Players do not have the right to protest against this."
Moreover, Hackett emphasized, "Son Heung-min protested until the end even after seeing that Manchester City's goal was cancelled by VAR. If the referee includes this part in the report, it is highly likely that the FA will take further action."
The reason the controversy grew is that footage released by 'TNT Sports' after the match clearly showed Son Heung-min protesting strongly to the referee.
Tottenham Hotspur News explained, "Even after the match ended, Son Heung-min continued to strongly appeal to the referee. He argued with referee Gillett, questioning why no additional time was granted."
He added, "While it is good for Son Heung-min to demonstrate leadership, this action seems to stem from a lack of understanding of game regulations. If the FA takes issue with this scene, there is a possibility that Son Heung-min could face disciplinary action."
Meanwhile, due to this defeat, Tottenham dropped to 13th place in the league, raising red flags for their pursuit of a spot in European competition.
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