Manchester United were left furious and confused as referee David Coote awarded West Ham a late penalty kick on Sunday at London Stadium.
It ended up costing United dear, as they missed several big chances during the game (especially in the first half) and the late penalty kick was the winner for West Ham.
Erik ten Hag had the following to say to the BBC after the game:
“It was so difficult to see. Before the season there was the instruction about VAR only interfering in clear and obvious mistakes. That is definitely not a clear and obvious mistake from the on field referee,” Ten Hag said.
“More frustrations but I can do nothing with that. They don’t collect points and that’s what we have to do. We have to look in the mirror, we don’t score in a good game from our side. Create loads of chances and concede none but when you lose in this way it’s a bad feeling.”
Ten Hag also confirmed he spoke to the officials after the game: “I spoke with them. But the decision is made. There’s no way back and that’s football. That’s a third time I have felt injustice in the season and it has a big impact on our team and on our scores and where we are in the table. It’s not right.”
What happened?
When Matthijs de Ligt and Danny Ings collided in the penalty box late on there wasn’t much there and nobody from West Ham appealed for a penalty kick. It even looked certain that Ings handled the ball just as the players collided.
However, VAR official Michael Oliver recommended that on-field referee Coote check the pitch-side monitor and after a check on the referee awarded the penalty kick which Jarrod Bowen scored to put West Ham 2-1 up and that was how it ended.
Erik ten Hag, De Ligt and the entire United team could not believe what they had seen as this is one of the most baffling VAR decisions you will ever see.
