OLE Gunnar Solskjaer claimed Saints’ opener should have been ruled out for a foul during the press, saying: “We can’t go from one extreme from volleyball or basketball last year to rugby now.” Jack Stephens stole the ball off United’s Portuguese dynamo Bruno Fernandes with a forceful challenge that then saw Moussa Djenepo, Adam Armstrong and Che Adams link up for the opener. Although Mason Greenwood would eventually peg back the home side and see the points shared evenly, the Norwegian boss insists he was left disappointed by the lack of decision and his side’s reaction.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: ”We should do better, if you don’t get a foul you should make sure you block the shots, put your body on the line and make sure they don’t get a strike on target. That being said it’s a foul, he’s gone straight though his hip with his own hip and his arm across him. I’m a bit, not worried, but we have to look at it and we can’t go from one extreme from volleyball or basketball last year to rugby now. I like the lenient way it’s more men’s football but that is a clear foul. That being said, early on with the fans as well it gets the crowd going when you fly into tackles and that was part of the thinking early on.”
The refereeing in the Premier League so far this season has allowed for more leniency and a better flowing game, while also introducing new rules to keep refs on the lookout for players ‘buying’ fouls. As such, you won’t see as many fouls awarded when a player has left a deliberate trailing leg, for example.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “I actually seen a lot of other things where we didn’t get given a foul so if you want to hang it up on this one situation I don’t see this. I was always fan of let things run and yeah, this is the Premier League. It’s not for me to say, but in this moment we have been the team getting the benefit for an aggressive attack. Because we play an active passing style I am always happy when not every single touch is immediately a foul. This is what the Premier League was famous for, for a long time.”
