Media bias: Manchester City Silva’s inconsequential ‘no dive’ cons the ref and pains Burnley
Bernardo Silva will not be retrospectively yellow carded for ‘diving’ when his Manchester City beat Burnley 3-0 in the Premier League. Silva “fell theatrically” in the box “under the slightest of touches from the Burnley goalkeeper”, says the Times.
“If I kicked my kid in the garden, I don’t think he would fall like that,” says Burnley boss Sean Dyche. “For him to get that high off the floor with his arms above his head is almost a skill in itself. I was quite impressed with how far he travelled.”
The Burnley Express says of Silva:
You could question why Pope gave the referee a decision to make, with Silva’s touch taking him away from goal, and his knee did connect with the former Monaco man’s right ankle.
But Silva exaggerated the contact.
Cheating?
Roger East bought it, and after Burnley showed their disgust with Silva
The Manchester Evening News has an odd take on the incident:
Pope tried to withdraw from his challenge and the contact between his knee and Bernardo’s foot seemed inconsequential.
Eh? What does the mean? There was a consequence: City got a penalty that allowed them to score that always vital first goal.
But get a load of how the official Manchester City website reports on the controversial spot kick:
The Portuguese playmaker then won a penalty when Pope brought him down inside the box. David Silva’s sublime throughball for Kevin De Bruyne put the Belgian in on goal, but his effort was parried by Pope. Bernardo, attempting to control the follow up, was then caught by the sprawling Pope, and Roger East pointed to the spot.
Over at Burnley FC, the penalty is at the top of the match report, presented as the game’s key moment:
Controversial penalty sets up leaders’ win as Clarets unbeaten away run ends
Adding:
Burnley’s first defeat since the second weekend of the season came with a note of frustration and something of a sour taste for the way City got the all-important opening goal from the penalty spot…
Sergio Aguero scored it to equal Eric Brook’s club-record tally, but the way Bernardo Silva seemingly convinced referee Roger East to award the penalty following a brush with Clarets’ goalkeeper Nick Pope did not go down well in the visitors’ camp.
It wasn’t a dive. The FA will only says it was a dive “where there is clear and overwhelming evidence to suggest a match official has been deceived by an act of simulation”. What’s clear to one is not clear to another…
Posted: 23rd, October 2017 | In: Back pages, Manchester City, Sports Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink
