Toure keen to see referee improvements

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has slammed the performance of referee Craig Pawson after seeing his side slip to an extra time FA Cup semi-final loss against Arsenal at Wembley.

The influential midfielder was incensed with Pawson’s decision to disallow a first half Sergio Aguero goal after it was ruled that Leroy Sane’s cross had gone out of play before reaching the Argentinean.

The Ivorian also felt Aguero had been tripped by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the Arsenal penalty area in the first half but again Pawson ruled against Manchester City and failed to point to the spot.

Manchester City went ahead in the second half through Aguero, before Spanish full-back Nacho Monreal equalised and then Chilean Alexis Sanchez scored the winner in extra time.

(Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)

It was harsh on City who had twice hit the woodwork in the second half, prompting a clearly furious Toure to slam Pawson’s performance.

On Thursday Manchester City will go head-to-head with Manchester United in the Premier League and Toure has suggested the game would benefit from no official being appointed rather than a sub-standard Pawson.

“I think the referees have to stop this,” said Toure.

“I am very disappointed. It is not the first time; there have been a couple of times.

“Maybe on Thursday we are going to have a better referee or maybe play without a referee – I’d prefer that.

“It is a very big game, an important game,.

“We have to do that job and we will see what can happen. We hope we are going to have a good referee.”