VAR Mistake Led to Man Utd’s Costly Penalty Against West Ham That Sealed Ten Hag’s Fate
Referees’ Chief Suggests Controversial Penalty Decision Shouldn’t Have Stood
Erik ten Hag’s tenure at Manchester United came to an end following a 2-1 loss to West Ham, but referees’ chief Howard Webb believes the deciding penalty, awarded by VAR, was a mistake. Webb revealed that the penalty decision, which led to United’s defeat, should not have been given, suggesting that the call could have influenced Ten Hag’s dismissal.
What Happened?
During the match, referee David Coote initially chose not to award a penalty following a challenge between Matthijs de Ligt and Danny Ings. However, after VAR official Michael Oliver intervened, Coote was advised to review the incident, ultimately awarding West Ham a late penalty. Webb, head of refereeing at PGMOL, later voiced his disagreement with the decision, believing it was an error.
Manchester United’s loss left them in 14th place, prompting the club to part ways with Ten Hag and appoint Ruud van Nistelrooy as interim manager. Van Nistelrooy has since led United to a 5-2 Carabao Cup victory over Leicester City and a 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea. Meanwhile, Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim has been confirmed as United’s next permanent head coach, set to take over on November 11.
