Away from thrilling battles at the top and bottom of the Premier League table, it has been one of the big talking points of the season. "The limit has to be set by the Premier League, the limit has to be set by the referees," he said after his side lost 1-0 to Arsenal. "I mean, every time they talk about our players, I think they are the most loved ones in the country." While not permitted by the laws of the game, time-wasting is a dark art that has always been woven into the fabric of football. And with Hurzeler not the first to complain, how much worse is it actually getting?

Source: BBC March 10, 2026 02:09 UTC