De Jong tackle row overshadows City win

ADAM JOHNSON, the England winger who has yet to convince club manager Roberto Mancini that he is worthy of a starting place at Manchester City, came off the bench to have the final say in his team’s absorbing victory over Newcastle, although his display was overshadowed by matters beyond his control.

Referee Martin Atkinson endured the sort of afternoon that will do little to silence those critics who claim top-class officiating is letting down the Premier League and, to that growing army of critics, Newcastle manager Chris Hughton will now most certainly add his voice.

The quietly-spoken, articulate and thoughtful Newcastle manager chose his words carefully in describing an early, controversial challenge by Nigel de Jong on Hatem Ben Arfa which went unpunished by Atkinson but which left the Frenchman with a broken left leg.