Red Devils Fuming: Manchester United Lodging Official Complaint Over VAR Blunders
Manchester United are reportedly on the verge of lodging a formal complaint with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMO), the body overseeing referees in English football. This move comes in the wake of a controversial draw against Bournemouth, where Old Trafford officials believe a series of officiating decisions, particularly those involving VAR, have unfairly cost their Champions League aspirations.
Sources close to the club have expressed significant frustration, labelling the recent incidents as “yet another VAR blunder” that has hampered their campaign. The core of the complaint centres around a pivotal moment in the match where forward Amad Diallo appeared to be clearly fouled inside the penalty area.
The Diallo Incident: A Penalty Denied?
During the match, with Manchester United trailing 1-0, Amad Diallo was in possession within the Bournemouth penalty box. Astonishingly, he was seemingly wrestled to the ground by a defender who made no genuine attempt to play the ball. The referee, Stuart Attwell, who was positioned mere yards away, opted to wave play on.
This decision proved costly. In the ensuing passage of play, Bournemouth managed to equalise through Ryan Christie. To compound United’s misery, a subsequent VAR review failed to overturn the on-field decision, a decision that many at the club believe should have resulted in a penalty and a potential two-goal swing in their favour.
Maguire’s Red Card and a Tale of Two Fouls
The controversial officiating didn’t end there. Later in the game, after Manchester United had managed to regain the lead, defender Harry Maguire was shown a straight red card for a foul on an opposition player. This led to a penalty for Bournemouth, which Junior Kroupi converted to level the scores once again.
The view within Manchester United is that Maguire’s foul was remarkably similar in nature to the unpunished incident involving Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert on Amad Diallo. This perceived inconsistency has fuelled the club’s anger.
Senior figures at Manchester United are convinced that the challenge on Diallo was a clear penalty. They posit that had the penalty been awarded, Bruno Fernandes would have likely converted it, giving his side a commanding 2-0 lead midway through the second half. Instead, the match was level within a minute of the denied penalty.
A Pattern of Perceived Injustice
This is not an isolated incident, according to Manchester United. The club has previously made representations to PGMO chief Howard Webb regarding what they perceive as “numerous errors” that have led to a loss of valuable points. These past grievances include:
- The failure to send off Brentford’s Nathan Collins for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, an offence for which Harry Maguire later received a red card.
- A penalty appeal that was controversially not awarded at Wolves.
- The disallowance of a goal by Lisandro Martinez in a recent draw against Burnley, a decision the club felt was incorrect. Notably, Stuart Attwell was also the referee for that fixture at Turf Moor.
Managerial Outrage and Director’s Intervention
Following the match, caretaker manager Michael Carrick expressed his bewilderment at the officiating. “For him (Attwell) to give one penalty and not the other… I find it crazy,” he stated. “I cannot understand it. Mental. It’s astonishing. One of them must be wrong.”
Carrick highlighted the missed opportunity to go 2-0 up, emphasizing the similarity between the two fouls. “It’s exactly the same thing really – a two-handed grab,” he added. “He’s got one wrong so, I don’t know which one but he doesn’t give us the second one.”
This sentiment is echoed by the club’s hierarchy, with Director of Football Jason Wilcox reportedly planning to formally raise the matter with Howard Webb.
Further Frustrations: Red Card and Stoppage Time
The draw also means that Manchester United will be without the suspended Harry Maguire for their upcoming crucial fixture against rivals Leeds United.
Adding to the list of grievances, commentators expressed surprise at the decision to add nine minutes of stoppage time when the score was tied at 2-2 and the opposition were down to ten men and seemingly trying to see out the game for a point. Manchester United are expected to seek an explanation for this extended period of added time.
PGMO has been approached for comment on these matters.
Champions League Race Tightens
The draw leaves Manchester United in third place in the league table, but with the chasing pack of Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Chelsea closing in. Aston Villa, in particular, have the opportunity to reduce the gap to a single point with a victory in their upcoming match. The club will be hoping for a swift resolution to these officiating concerns as they battle for a top-four finish.
