- An ITV pundit joked that a Man United star should be fined a week’s wages
- This came after a rare and comical error during their win over Leicester on Friday
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Does the Premier League REALLY need to look at goal celebrations?
Noussair Mazraoui was slammed by ITV pundit Lee Dixon after a comical blunder during Man United’s game against Leicester on Friday night.
The Red Devils escaped Old Trafford with a 2-1 win and booked their spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Harry Maguire.
But the road to victory was far from smooth sailing, and Mazraoui’s blooper was one of many bumps along the way to United’s fourth win in five games.
Former Arsenal hero Dixon was astounded after the Moroccan fluffed a throw-in and was whistled for a foul throw.
He went as far as calling for the full back to be fined a week’s wages, as United trailed 1-0 early in the second half.
‘Absolute foul throw. Should be fined a week’s wages for that,’ Dixon said while commentating on the game for ITV.
Lee Dixon joked that Noussair Mazraoui should be fined a week’s wages after a foul throw
The Man United full back made the blunder during their 2-1 win over Leicester on Friday night
His error was met by groans from the home fans at Old Trafford and jeers from Leicester fans
‘How can you not throw a ball in?’
Backed up in United’s own half, Mazraoui stepped up to take a routine throw-in from the right flank but stuttered twice before committing the violation.
He then threw the ball towards the ground, which infringes on Law 15.1 in the FA rulebook.
This states a player must: ‘Throw the ball with both hands from behind and over the head from the point where it left the field of play.’
Mazraoui did indeed throw the ball from behind his head, but the trajectory of his throw did not satisfy the latter part of the rule, where the ball must be thrown over one’s head.
Other requirements for a valid throw-in are as follows:
‘At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower must stand facing the field of play;
‘Have part of each foot on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline.’
The Red Devils’ rocky road to victory was capped off by a late winner from Harry Maguire
United edged victory over Leicester thanks to Maguire’s late header. Replays showed the defender was comfortably offside, but VAR was not in use and the goal stood.
The result somewhat papered over the cracks of a poor United showing on the night, with Ruben Amorim’s side not having a shot on target until the 68th minute when Joshua Zirkzee made it 1-1.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid had given the visitors a deserved lead on Ruud van Nistelrooy’s return to Old Trafford, but substitutes Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho helped inspire a comeback.
United fans celebrated in the stands as they bounced back from a disappointing defeat by Crystal Palace last time out, but they are still 13th in the Premier League and struggling under Amorim.
