A better referee or none for Manchester derby - Yaya Toure suggests

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

These were the words of frustrated Ivorian international Yaya Toure on Monday who was critical of refereeing in England after losing to Arsenal on Sunday in the FA Cup semi-final.

His Manchester City side blamed referee Craig Pawson’s decision to have cost them the FA Cup final after ruling out a goal when Leroy Sane’s cross was judged to have gone out of play.

Per video replays, the ball bended back in-play and Sergio Aguero struck it over the goalline.

Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez put his team through to the final against Chelsea next month with an extra-time strike.

“I think the referees have to stop this. I am very disappointed. It is not the first time, there have been a couple of times,” Toure said at the end of the game at the Wembley Stadium.

“If we have to talk about referees, people are going to say ‘we complain’ but when we see the highlights, for me it is very disappointing.

“But what can we do? If (we) talk about the referee the FA is going to come in for the punishment if we think like that, but I think I need to sleep and rest and forget this game,” Toure added.

Manchester City will face Manchester United on Thursday in a fierce battle to secure a top four Premier League spot.