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The chief refereeing officer of the Premier League, Howard Webb, has admitted that West Ham United were incorrectly awarded a penalty during their dramatic 2-1 victory over Manchester United.
This controversial decision played a significant role in a match that ultimately led to the dismissal of Erik ten Hag as manager of the Red Devils.
The crucial moment in the match occurred in the 89th minute, with the score tied at 1-1. In the said period of the match, a collision took place in the penalty area between Matthijs de Ligt and West Ham striker Danny Ings.
Initially, on-field referee David Coote opted to allow play to continue, but following a review by the Video Assistant Referee, Michael Oliver, Coote was advised to examine the incident further on the pitchside monitor.
After reviewing the footage, he ultimately decided to award a penalty kick to West Ham, which was confidently converted by Jarrod Bowen, securing the victory for the Hammers.
In the aftermath of the match, Ten Hag was relieved of his duties as manager the following morning, a decision many linked to the unexpected defeat to West Ham.
During an appearance on the Match Officials Mic’d Up show, Howard Webb offered insights into the decision-making process and his thoughts on the VAR’s assessment of the situation.
Webb expressed his belief that the VAR made an unfortunate misjudgment in interpreting the incident.
He stated, “I thought it was a misread by the VAR—one that is typically very skilled and dependable. However, in this case, the VAR seemed overly focused on the contact made by De Ligt’s leg.”
Howard Webb explained further that while De Ligt’s leg did make contact with Ings, it came after the ball had already moved past him. Webb noted that in his view, the VAR focused too narrowly on the leg’s interaction without considering the context of the play.
He said, “The VAR interpreted this as a clear foul when, on balance, I believe it wasn’t a penalty. I would have preferred the on-field decision to stand, regardless of how it was initially called.”
Through this detailed account, Webb emphasized that an alternate interpretation of the situation might have altered the course of the match—and potentially the futures of both teams involved.
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