Former referees’ chief Keith Hackett believes Manchester City have little reason to complain after Rodri was denied a stoppage-time penalty in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium.
City thought they had one final opportunity to snatch victory deep into added time when Rodri went to ground following a late challenge from Elliot Anderson.
Referee Darren England waved play on, and a subsequent VAR review did not alter that decision.
Hackett, the former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official, has backed the on-field call. Speaking about the incident, he said: “I am satisfied that the match official, Darren England, has made the correct call.
“Both players are challenging for the ball. No foul – allow play to continue.”
The contest itself was open and dramatic. City were pegged back twice by Forest, who showed resilience on the road. Goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Anderson ensured the visitors left with a share of the points, cancelling out strikes in each half from Antoine Semenyo and Rodri.
With the score level at 2-2 in the 93rd minute, the decisive moment arrived. Rodri shaped to shoot and released the ball, only for Anderson’s trailing boot to make contact after the effort had gone.
The Spain midfielder appealed immediately, and there was a brief pause while VAR checked the challenge.
However, no penalty was given. England stood by his initial decision, and the game soon concluded in a draw.
Hackett’s view was clear. The experienced official felt the referee handled the situation well under intense pressure in the closing seconds.
In his assessment, both players were competing for the same ball and the contact did not amount to a foul.
For City, the frustration was evident. Pep Guardiola’s side had pushed hard for a late winner but were unable to find a breakthrough. Instead, they were left reflecting on dropped points in the title race.
Elsewhere, Arsenal capitalised. Mikel Arteta’s team secured victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points.
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Rodri himself has been outspoken in the past about refereeing standards and PGMOL decisions. The midfielder could be punished by the Football Association after earlier comments criticising officials, an episode that added extra context to Wednesday night’s controversy.
This time, it was Bernardo Silva who voiced his dissatisfaction. The Portugal international suggested that marginal calls went against City, saying that “all the 50-50s” favoured Forest during the match.
Silva also pointed to another incident in which he felt City were hard done by. He believed Erling Haaland should have been awarded a penalty after going down under a challenge from Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.
With no spot-kick given and no booking for simulation either, the moment passed without further action.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s focus now shifts back to performances and results. In a title race where margins are fine, moments such as Rodri’s stoppage-time appeal can loom large. But, as Hackett made clear, not every coming together in the penalty area meets the threshold for a foul.
