Former Manchester City midfielder and current Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton has called upon referees to be interviewed by the media following the decision to allow Manchester United's equaliser in this weekend's derby.
City were in the lead at Old Trafford thanks to a Jack Grealish header on the hour mark but the match was thrown back into the balance 18 minutes later. A through ball from Casemiro was sent in the direction of Marcus Rashford who was running in an offside position.
However, the Englishman opted to leave the ball for the onside Bruno Fernandes to score. Initially, the flag was raised for offside but VAR chose to overrule the on-field decision and the goal was awarded.
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Four minutes later, Rashford won the match for United when he tucked home an Alejandro Garnacho cross in front of the Stretford End. Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Barton set out his radical plan referencing the decision at Old Trafford and a handball call which went against his Rovers side at Accrington Stanley as reasons for the new initiative.
He explained: "The offside in the Manchester Derby. How is that not interfering with play?
"The handball leading to the goal in our game at Accrington. How is that not advantageous to the player and team handling it?
"What is the point if the officials just make it up as they go along. When I go in and see him (ref) after the game, he’s standing with his rule book out reading me a passage that backs up his game-changing error.
"Referees should be interviewed after games and held accountable for match-altering decisions. They get away with it otherwise."
Barton then added: "Refereeing should move into modern era. Make them accountable.
"They should have to speak to the press. There is a former referee on every major football game or radio station, chipping in with his or her opinion of the rules.
"Why not allow press to ask ref questions after the game. We have to make the best ones have a voice.
"Better officials make a better game." The victory for United sees them move to within one point of City in the Premier League while Barton's side themselves three points outside of the play-off places in League One.
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