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Referee Jonathan Moss is set to avoid punishment following Bournemouth midfielder Dan Gosling’s claim that the official had mocked the club’s plight, the PA news agency understands.
Eddie Howe’s Cherries are 16th in the Premier League standings and just two points off the relegation zone after Sheffield United came from behind to win Sunday’s Bramall Lane encounter 2-1.
Bournemouth were left unhappy with Moss and afterwards Gosling said the referee was a “disgrace”, with the 30-year-old calling on him to “come out and apologise”.
“The ref didn’t help,” he told the Daily Echo. “Giving soft fouls away and little comments to two or three of the lads didn’t help as well, really.
“I thought it was very disrespectful what he was saying. It was just the little niggly ones and then the little sarky comments.
“The officials talk about respect at the start of the season and there was zero respect from Jon Moss on Sunday.
“The comments that he made especially to me and one other player – talking about the relegation zone and ‘you’re still in the relegation zone’, ‘you’re having one’, ‘your team’s having one’ this and that and it was very, very disrespectful.”
Bournemouth asked the Premier League to look into the matter, but the PA news agency understands the Professional Game Match Officials Limited will not be taking any action against Moss.
It is also understood that the Football Association has decided not to sanction Moss or Gosling.
Bournemouth are frustrated by the Premier League and Gosling retains the full backing of the club, who trust their player’s version of events wholeheartedly, the PA news agency understands.
The Cherries are not believed to have put in an official complaint given the Premier League’s stance and their focus on beating the drop.
Howe’s men travel to Burnley in 10 days, before ending February with a home match against Chelsea on February 29.
