Football
ESPN staff 6y

Man City's Raheem Sterling didn't dive for penalty vs. Arsenal - Clattenburg

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has come out in defence of Michael Oliver's awarding of a penalty to Manchester City's "clever" Raheem Sterling in Sunday's 3-1 defeat of Arsenal.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger blasted the "unacceptable" refereeing of Oliver for awarding Sterling a penalty after going down under a challenge from Nacho Monreal. City led 1-0 at that point before Sergio Aguero converted from the spot in the 50th minute.

While admitting Sterling was "clever" for slowing down to ensure there would be contact, Clattenburg said Oliver made the correct decision.

"Michael Oliver was right to award a penalty for Nacho Monreal's challenge on Raheem Sterling," he told The Times. "It is very clever of Sterling because he slows down so that there is always going to be contact from Monreal, who cannot stop quickly enough."

Commenting on Wenger's insistence that Sterling "dives well," Clattenburg added: "While he has been guilty of such things in the past, this is a foul. It is not clear-cut enough to say that every referee would have given it, but Wenger would have wanted a penalty if the same thing had happened to an Arsenal player."

Clattenburg did, however, say Wenger had the right to feel aggrieved after City's third goal, which Gabriel Jesus scored despite calls for offside.

"Wenger has more justification to be annoyed about the third goal because even as a referee I thought, 'That looked yards offside,' when I first saw it," he said.

"It usually comes down to a few centimetres but David Silva had one leg and a part of the body that could score a goal beyond the last man. I was surprised that Wenger was not more angry about that last one."

Former referee Dermot Gallagher also insisted Wenger was wrong over the penalty clash, and even believes Oliver could have sent Monreal off for bundling Sterling over at the Etihad Stadium.

"Sterling's in possession of the ball, Monreal comes across, barges into him,'' Gallagher told Sky Sports. "You could argue he's in on goal, he hasn't made a clear attempt to play the ball. It could well have been a red card. It's definitely a penalty."

Wenger made the accusation during an interview for the BBC's Match of the Day. The Frenchman was also angered that neither David Silva nor eventual goal scorer Gabriel Jesus were flagged offside in the build-up to City's third goal.

"I believe it was no penalty," Wenger said. "It was a provoked penalty by Sterling. We know that he dives well -- he does that very well. And the third goal was offside. I am disappointed. You can accept it if City win in a normal way, they are a good side, but the way it happened is unacceptable.

"It is the second time in two years. We conceded two goals offside last year and we concede a goal here offside again."

City have not responded to Wenger's remarks but Press Association Sport reported the club are "very disappointed and surprised," given the Gunners were interested in signing Sterling in the summer.

Arsenal did not comment on Monday while the Football Association have given no indication that Sterling will be retrospectively investigated for diving.

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