Sure Win
Man Utd – West Ham: VAR misread penalty. Referees’ chief Howard Webb has stated that West Ham should not have been awarded a penalty in Erik ten Hag’s last match as Manchester United manager on October 27.
The controversial penalty decision was made following a challenge by Matthijs de Ligt on Danny Ings. Initially, on-field referee David Coote allowed play to continue, but he awarded a penalty after reviewing the incident on the pitch-side monitor, prompted by VAR Michael Oliver. Jarrod Bowen converted the penalty, leading to a 2-1 victory for West Ham. Ten Hag was dismissed from his position less than a day later.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Mic’d Up, Webb explained, “I think the VAR misread this one. Michael Oliver, who is typically reliable, became overly focused on De Ligt’s leg making contact with Ings after the ball had passed. The VAR saw it as a clear foul, but I believe he shouldn’t have intervened.” Is the Premier League Title Race Already Down to Two Teams?
Webb added that the decision should have been left to the on-field referee’s judgment, saying, “On balance, I don’t think it was a penalty. It was a situation where we would have allowed the on-field decision to stand, regardless of how it was initially called.”
He also emphasized that on-field referees are not obligated to follow VAR recommendations, explaining, “Referees are fully within their rights to stick with their original call after reviewing on the screen.”
Webb also addressed a recent controversy involving Coote, who was suspended after a video surfaced online where he appeared to make negative remarks about Liverpool and former manager Jurgen Klopp.
“We became aware of a video circulating on social media, and we’re treating this matter seriously,” Webb said. “A full investigation is underway, and David Coote has been suspended pending the outcome. There’s little more I can say until the investigation is complete.”
