Or has VAR just opened the floodgates for penalties galore? The penalty incident wasn't seen at all by the on field officials but VAR stopped the game to advise ref he should give City a pen for holding in the box at a set piece. The same thing happens in every game at most set pieces but they've usually turned a blind eye.

It’s a foul so should be given. Perhaps if they started giving more pens for it then it would stop….

Couldn't agree more it's a foul and given 99 times out of a 100 anywhere else on the field. But is this the start of a crackdown or is it just because it's City?

VAR the all seeing eye, Bollocks
Football being ruined from the outside.

VAR….. by making the game fairer, they’ve made it worse.
Eventually football teams will have to include various genders, various races and disabled players, no bodily contact, no running and a sponge football for everyone so no one’s left out and played in flip flops to a musical soundtrack to inspire the 50 players on each side…..RIP football.

its a foul the same number of times in the box if its a foul on a defender. its a foul anywhere else on the pitch if a defender just falls over with a player close to him. its this fear match officials have by only giving stone wall penalty,s and giving defenders the benefit of any doubt fear they get some stick if a goal is scored.

Totally agree it's a foul and a penalty, but they're ignored 99% of the time so why was it given for City.
Hopefully it is the start of a crackdown on wrestling in the box at set pieces, but I somehow think it'll still be ignored most of the time and certainly for the less fashionable clubs.

They won,t though will they(FA)

correct. its like i said they are frightened to give dodgy decisions that lead to dodgy goals. something officials get drummed into them by assesors once they start running the line or refereeing plus being brought up at meetings therefore the benefit of all doubt is given to the defence.