Former ref backs Clattenburg

Former Premier League referee Alan Wiley has backed Mark Clattenburg over the farce at Old Trafford.

Wiley now coaches the 16 select match officials as part of his role with the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) and believes that Clattenburg was in the right.

“What we have to remember is that the goal is within the laws of the game,” Wiley told BBC Radio 5 live.

“The game hadn’t stopped and so, in essence, Mark was right in law,” Wiley added.

“You’re taught right from the very start that you don’t stop until the whistle blows or the ball goes out of play, so in law, the goal is a correct goal.”

“I’m sure that Mark must have thought at that stage, at 1-0 to Manchester United and Spurs wanting to keep the game going and Gomes had the ball in his hands, that he wanted to keep the game moving,” Wiley continued.

“The situation is that if you’re going to think about bringing it back, for instance if a player is fouled but then he loses his footing and he still can’t keep control of the ball, then you can bring it back.

“In that situation there, Gomes has actually got the ball in his hands and has actually still got possession of the ball.

“What he then does after that is nothing to do with the referee. If he chose to throw the ball on the ground, that was his choice. He didn’t throw it there because he lost control of it, so therefore in those circumstances you’re probably giving the goalkeeper two bites of the cherry.”

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