Manchester United's VAR Controversy: Mark Halsey Questions PGMOL's Decision-Making
Halsey, writing for The Sun, expressed his disbelief at the overturning of the penalty call. He stated, "I’m amazed referee David Coote overturned his decision. A penalty should not have been awarded. It was nothing more than a coming together and resulted in a game-changing decision that cost Manchester United."
Premier League referee Mark Halsey has voiced concerns regarding the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) following a controversial VAR decision that adversely affected Manchester United during their match against West Ham. The incident occurred late in the game when United were penalized, allowing West Ham's Jarrod Bowen to secure a stoppage-time penalty, ultimately costing United crucial points.
In a match that saw goals from Crysencio Summerville and Casemiro, the pivotal moment arose in the 92nd minute. United's Matthijs de Ligt and West Ham's Danny Ings collided, and referee David Coote initially deemed it a non-penalty situation. However, after a VAR review, Coote was called to the pitch-side monitor, where he reversed his decision, leading to widespread frustration among United players and supporters.
Halsey, writing for The Sun, expressed his disbelief at the overturning of the penalty call. He stated, "I’m amazed referee David Coote overturned his decision. A penalty should not have been awarded. It was nothing more than a coming together and resulted in a game-changing decision that cost Manchester United."
He highlighted that while De Ligt made some contact with Ings, it was minimal and insufficient to warrant a foul. "The Premier League's Match Centre said De Ligt made 'sufficient contact' on Ings to merit a penalty, but it is a contact sport. This should never be enough for a foul," Halsey added.
Critiquing the VAR intervention, he pointed out that Coote had a clear view of the incident and made the correct call by not awarding a penalty initially. Halsey emphasized that PGMOL's chief Howard Webb has indicated that VAR should only intervene in "clear and obvious" errors. He characterized this situation as a "classic case" of VAR re-refereeing an incident that was subjective.
Halsey further criticized the decision-making process, suggesting that referees often feel pressured to change their calls after consulting VAR. "Coote crumbled and changed his decision, like so many other referees do in that situation," he noted. His remarks raise questions about the training and standards at PGMOL, indicating that there may be deeper issues impacting referees' performances and decisions during matches.
