refereeing controversy

Attitudes to concussion have thankfully transformed completely since the 1980s – an era when, scarily, there was nothing remarkable about players getting concussed, having a head-wash by the physio’s ‘magic sponge,’ and then carrying on playing. Current practice is worlds away from such folly.

At no stage between the taking of the corner and the ball crossing the goal-line did the referee blow his whistle. The injury to de Gea, from which he recovered very quickly, did not appear to be serious, and was in any event inflicted by a team-mate.