‘A perfectly good goal’ - Pundits slam officials for disallowing Philippe Coutinho goal versus Man City

Former Premier League duo Graeme Souness and Dion Dublin have slammed the officials for disallowing Aston Villa a potential winning goal against Manchester City on Saturday evening.

Philippe Coutinho found the top corner in the 78th minute with the help of a deflection but the play had already been halted due to the linesman raising an offside flag in the build up.

The offside call looked a wrong one on the replays but as the referee, Simon Hooper, had already blown the whistle - play had gone dead and a decision could not be reversed.

Discussing the incident in the Sky Sports studio following the game, both Souness and former Villa striker Dublin slammed what they both believe was a ‘completley wrong’ decision.

It should have stood,” Souness said. “I just don’t understand why this was not given.

“It’s a perfectly good goal in my opinion.”

“I think it’s a huge mistake,” Dublin added. “In Villa’s season, this is a huge mistake by the officials.

“They will look at this and they will be embarrassed by it because they shoud have let it roll on, see what happens and then deal with the situation. Don’t blow the whistle.

“I just think they got it completely wrong and it could be very significant for Villa.”

What Steven Gerrard said

Villa boss Steven Gerrard was understandably frustrated with the decision and admitted that Hooper had offered him an apology following the game.

“I saw a legitimate goal but obviously I am biased,” Gerrard explained.

“The referee did the same at the other end with [Ezri] Konsa [when he challenged] on the keeper [Ederson]. He was desperate on the whistle which went against us twice in the game.”

“They recognised they were too quick on the whistle. I’ve asked for their side of it. I always try and understand their side of it. But the referee has blown the whistle too soon.

“I know there is a slight rule change in terms of not waiting too long for these whistles and flags and I understand that rule change but I think when something is so tight it is worth that little bit of extra time.

“We could have scored a second goal and that moment and the decision has gone against us. But fair play to the officials, they recognised that in the room afterwards.”