Julian Knight, chairman of the Department of Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport has dismissed Pep Guardiola's claim that players cannot help hugging each other during goal celebrations by calling his claim "ridiculous".

Players have become scrutinized as they continuously failed to adhere to stricter instructions from the Premier League and Professional Footballers' Association to minimize contact where it is possible.

Teams are still celebrating in typical fashion, though, with Guardiola's Manchester City players embracing each other after Phil Foden scored a winner against Brighton on Wednesday.

"It's ridiculous to say it's just instinct, of course, players can stop themselves doing it," Knight told.

"We've seen plenty of occasions in the past where someone does a special routine for a goal celebration similar to the dance routine you sometimes see in American football when someone scores a touchdown."

"Let's not have this jumping on top of each in the face of everything we are trying to deal with."

"I've read that it's not a bookable offense but surely it could be covered by unsportsmanlike conduct, and it should not be beyond the wit of the football authorities to ask referees to issue yellow cards in the same way they do when a player takes their shirt off in a goal celebration," He added, "We are all human, but we are trying desperately to get the message out there about keeping your distance so it is completely the wrong optics to see players piling on after a goal."