Manchester City's players appeal to English referee Simon Hooper during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England, on December 3, 2023. Manchester City have been fined £120,000 (RM711,451) by the Football Association after their players surrounded a match official during their dramatic 3-3 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. -AFP/Darren Staples
Manchester City's players appeal to English referee Simon Hooper during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England, on December 3, 2023. Manchester City have been fined £120,000 (RM711,451) by the Football Association after their players surrounded a match official during their dramatic 3-3 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. -AFP/Darren Staples

LONDON: Manchester City have been fined £120,000 (RM711,451) by the Football Association after their players surrounded a match official during their dramatic 3-3 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League earlier this month.

Several City players surrounded referee Simon Hooper late in the game on Dec 3 after he stopped play when Jack Grealish was through on goal for a foul on Erling Haaland in the build-up, having previously waved play-on.

"Manchester City FC admitted that they failed to ensure their players did not behave in an improper way during the 94th minute. An independent Regulatory Commission imposed this sanction following a hearing," the FA said on Monday.

City drew a third successive league match when Tottenham Hotspur's Dejan Kulusevski headed a 90th-minute equaliser after Grealish's 81st-minute goal looked to have secured the win. --REUTERS