Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has stated that Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera deserves a two match suspension for his ‘dive’ against Manchester City.
The Manchester derby between Manchester United and Manchester City on Sunday was full of incidents and controversies, and one of the main talking points after the encounter was Ander Herrera going down inside the box under the challenge of Nicolas Otamendi in the second half.
Herrera seemed to hit the ground under minimal contact and the midfielder was handed a yellow card for simulation by referee Michael Oliver, which clearly left United manager Jose Mourinho incensed.
As Herrera was booked for the dive, he will be exempt from the potential 2-match suspension which can be retrospectively be handed by the FA under new regulations – with Everton’s Oumar Niasse already having served such a ban.
However, former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg is unhappy with such a ruling and has gone on to state that the Manchester United midfielder being free from any potential sanctions is not right.
Clattenburg said, “Ander Herrera’s booking was for a clear dive after he brushed past Nicolas Otamendi and a yellow card was the correct punishment by the referee, Michael Oliver.
“Jose Mourinho may disagree but that’s mind games. Mourinho actually had a go at me last year in the same fixture, after I didn’t award a penalty for a Claudio Bravo foul on Wayne Rooney, and he was right on that occasion, but I think when he watches the video of this incident he will realise it was a dive.
“It’s strange that Jesus didn’t get cautioned but could end up serving a two-match suspension, while Herrera is free to play next weekend. The punishment should be the same but the law states that Herrera, left, has been dealt with. There is an imbalance there. They committed the same offence but they could get a different punishment.”
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