The Premier League has acknowledged a major error in the match between West Ham United and Manchester United, a decision that ultimately led to the dismissal of former Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag.
The incident occurred in the dying moments of the game, when West Ham was awarded a penalty after a controversial challenge involving Matthijs de Ligt and Danny Ings. The penalty, converted by Jarrod Bowen, sealed a 2-1 victory for the Hammers.
Speaking on the Match Officials Mic’d Up show, Premier League chief refereeing officer Howard Webb admitted that the decision to award the penalty was incorrect. “I thought it was a misread by the VAR,” Webb said. “He was too focused on De Ligt’s leg… I don’t think he should have got involved.”
Webb also defended the decision to send off Arsenal’s William Saliba for a clear denial of a goal-scoring opportunity against Bournemouth. “I think the offence committed by William Saliba… did deny Evanilson an obvious goal-scoring opportunity,” he explained.
The Premier League has seen a significant reduction in VAR errors this season compared to the previous campaign. However, the high-profile mistake in the West Ham-Manchester United match highlights the ongoing challenge of implementing VAR consistently and accurately.
As the Premier League continues to refine its VAR protocols, it’s clear that human error remains a factor, even with advanced technology.
