Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been critical of the video assistant referee (VAR) following their 2-1 defeat to West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday, Afrosport reports.
After United failed to take their chances in the first half, the Hammers took the lead in the 74th minute through a goal from substitute Crysencio Summerville, but the Red Devils drew level seven minutes later thanks to a thumping header from Casemiro.
With the game heading into the closing stages, the Hammers were awarded a controversial penalty after the VAR told referee David Coote to check the pitchside monitor and review Matthijs de Ligt’s challenge on Danny Ings.
Jarrod Bowen scored the resulting penalty in the 92nd minute to help West Ham record their third consecutive home win against United.
West Ham pick up their third consecutive home win against Man Utd ⚒️#WHUMUN pic.twitter.com/d2mzlgMI8i
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 27, 2024
Ten Hag, who was clearly upset by the penalty decision, criticised the process of the VAR during his post-match press conference.
The Dutchman said: “Today there was clear and obvious, and clear and obvious wasn’t how VAR worked and how they worked, how they run their process.
“Before the season, they explained the process of the VAR. And only when it’s clear and obvious, then they should interfere. So what it didn’t do against Spurs, where they should have done it to interfere with the red card of Bruno [Fernandes]. It was a wrong decision. And now they make again a wrong decision, interfering. And both has big impact on the scores of the games.”
The former Ajax manager added that he wasn’t criticising the VAR personnel but rather the process of making the decision.
“No, I’m not criticising any personal. I criticised the process,” he said. “And of course there are people who are running the process. But it had a big impact on the score.”
Win, lose or draw — we hear you every game, Reds.
Thanks for your magnificent support on the road once again 🔴#MUFC || #WHUMUN pic.twitter.com/KsAoOBXTJn
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 27, 2024
Ten Hag, however, touched on his team’s failure to be clinical as United had numerous opportunities to take the lead and put the tie to bed, especially in the first half.
“The other impact was that we didn’t score and we created so many chances,” ten Hag added. “We played so good football.
“Especially the first half is exactly how I want to see my team playing; so dominant in and out of possession. Very good build up, very good structures, playing between the lines, go round, back inside, to go behind, create chances. I think I collected six or seven, 100% chances we should have scored.”
The result pushed West Ham above United in the Premier League standings, with the Hammer in 13th place and the Red Devils a spot behind.
Ten Hag’s men have only won three of their last 10 matches in all competitions, including two of their last six in the Premier League.
They will welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford next on Wednesday in the EFL Cup round of 16, before hosting Chelsea on Sunday, November 3.
