Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has criticised the VAR process used to award West Ham’s winning penalty claiming Matthijs de Ligt’s foul wasn’t a “clear and obvious” error.
With 87 minutes on the clock there was contact between De Ligt and Danny Ings in the box. Initially, referee David Coote didn’t award a penalty, however, VAR deemed there was sufficient contact on Ings’ lower leg to recommend an on-field review.
Coote then spent around two minutes at the pitchside monitor watching replays of the incident.
It appeared that De Ligt made contact with the ball before catching the West Ham attacker but ref Coote ultimately decided the challenge was a foul and awarded a penalty. Jarrod Bowen netted from the spot for a 2-1 win.
Ten Hag referenced the decision to show Bruno Fernandes a red in their defeat to Tottenham – a call that was eventually overturned after the game – as an example of how the VAR process isn’t working.
“Clear and obvious wasn’t how the VAR worked their process,” Ten Hag said.
“Before the season they explained the process of the VAR and said they’d only act if it was clear and obvious. So it should have interfered for Bruno’s red card at Tottenham – that was a wrong decision and this was a wrong decision.
“Both have a big impact on the games.
“I’m not criticising any person, I’m criticising the process. Of course, there are people running the process and it had a big impact on the score. We created so many chances, played good football, especially in the first half. It’s how I want to see my play, so dominant. Very good build-up and structures. I counted six or seven 100 per cent chances we should have scored.
“When you don’t score you have to keep calm and keep going. I had no criticism of my team apart from scoring.
“Luck is not on my side. It is not on our side. Last season was no different, but we turned it around. We are determined it will be the same. It will turn if we keep playing that way.”
Crysencio Summerville came off the bench at half-time to fire the Hammers into an unlikely lead which was quickly cancelled out by Casemiro’s header before VAR’s late intervention.
Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui, himself under scrutiny following their poor start to the season, said he did not see the penalty decision but that Ings told him it was correct.
On Ten Hag’s assertion that the best team lost, the Spaniard added: “I respect his opinion. But I think it was two different halves.
“The first half they were better. I thought second half we changed and we were better.”