Matthijs de Ligt Reflects on Controversial Penalty and Defends Erik ten Hag

Matthijs de Ligt said he felt his old coach was unlucky to lose his job, but he stressed that Erik ten Hag, his former Ajax manager, was not the only factor in his choice to join Manchester United. After a close 2-1 loss to West Ham, which included a contentious penalty call, Ten Hag’s career came to an end.

The pivotal moment in the match occurred following a collision between De Ligt and Danny Ings of West Ham, which referee David Coote initially ruled was not a penalty. But after Michael Oliver’s VAR review, a penalty was given, enabling Ings to score and give West Ham the win. Howard Webb, the head of PGMOL, later said that the call was a mistake and that the contact was not enough to result in a penalty.

De Ligt’s Frustration Over the Decision

Reflecting on the incident, De Ligt expressed disappointment, stating he felt powerless in the situation. “Normally I am always self-critical and can get annoyed with myself. But here, I could not blame myself. The referee committee even informed us that it was not a penalty.” he shared with Dutch publication De Telegraaf.