Pellegrini wants referee review system for managers

Manchester City’s Manuel Pellegrini has called for managers to be given the power to review a referee’s decision twice a game. 

Pellegrini hit out at the match officials following City’s 2-1 loss to Everton in the League Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday. 

The Argentine manager rued the decision not to award Jesus Navas a penalty, while he also claimed Romelu Lukaku was offside for the winning goal. 

Video officiating may come into effect next season, but Pellegrini believes just one little change would be better than a complete overhaul of the review system.

“If think with other things it’s more difficult. To talk about our last game I think it was a penalty on Navas but the referee didn’t think so. I don’t think technology can change that,” he said.

“Those cases are very important. Each manager can have one play in each 45 minutes to review – just one. About important things – red cards, penalties, a goal. You don’t change the criteria of the referee.

“You see on the TV after the game there are four or five different opinions about the same play. To erase a mistake, if it was inside or outside the box – if he whistles a penalty when the ball hits the chest yes.

“It’s very important, the same as goal technology, but not to use the technology to change the criteria of the referee.

“But sometimes it’s not criteria, it’s just a mistake about if the foul was outside the box or inside the box. If he whistles a penalty and the foul is outside the box, it’s not changing the criteria, it’s changing the reason; it was a mistake in that moment.”

Pellegrini and Co. take on Norwich City in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.