Even the commentators talked about the pen shout, last season it would have been called. This year, however there is a new directive for the refs to look at the contact and decide if a player could have held his ground. Lingard in this instance probably should have made more of an effort to stay on his feet, probably would have earned a pen if he had cos I think the drag on the shirt would have effected any shot he was about to take. The fact that he has thrown his arms in the air and made a "drama" out of it has made the ref reconsider any contact that Noble has made.
Even the commentators talked about the pen shout, last season it would have been called. This year, however there is a new directive for the refs to look at the contact and decide if a player could have held his ground. Lingard in this instance probably should have made more of an effort to stay on his feet, probably would have earned a pen if he had cos I think the drag on the shirt would have effected any shot he was about to take. The fact that he has thrown his arms in the air and made a "drama" out of it has made the ref reconsider any contact that Noble has made.
Even the commentators talked about the pen shout, last season it would have been called. This year, however there is a new directive for the refs to look at the contact and decide if a player could have held his ground. Lingard in this instance probably should have made more of an effort to stay on his feet, probably would have earned a pen if he had cos I think the drag on the shirt would have effected any shot he was about to take. The fact that he has thrown his arms in the air and made a "drama" out of it has made the ref reconsider any contact that Noble has made.