The hotly contested penalty decision which preceded Erik ten Hag’s sacking by Manchester United should not have been awarded, referees’ chief Howard Webb has reportedly admitted.
Jarrod Bowen buried the stoppage-time penalty as West Ham sunk United 2-1 on October 27 and Ten Hag was sacked the next day.
The Dutchman slammed the ‘unfair and unjust’ penalty decision, with Matthijs de Ligt adjudged to have fouled Danny Ings, but the defender argued the striker had handled the ball.
Referee David Coote did not initially award a penalty but overturned his call after being called to the monitor by VAR Michael Oliver and mulling over it for two minutes.
Now The Times reports that Webb, the chief refereeing officer of the PGMOL, thinks that call was a mistake and has voiced that opinion.
Referees’ chief Howard Webb reportedly feels that the penalty decision which led to Erik ten Hag’s sacking was wrong
Jarrod Bowen converted the spot kick which was West Ham beat Man United 2-1 on October 27
Erik ten Hag was sacked the next day and flew home to the Netherlands in a private jet
Matthijs de Ligt argued that Danny Ings had handled the ball in the build-up to the penalty
The outlet also claims that the Key Match Incidents Panel, an independent body set up at the start of the 2022-23 season which analyses big calls, believes the call was wrong.
Webb has not yet publicly commented but is expected to be asked about it on the Mic’d Up show next week.
The defeat left United floundering in 14th in the Premier League and, while there is no knowing whether Ten Hag would have been sacked with a draw, it is easy for him to feel bitter.
His side thought they had grasped a point after Casemiro levelled in the 81st minute to cancel out Crysencio Summerville’s opener.
‘In football the best team does not always win, that was clear and obvious,’ a furious Ten Hag said.
‘Clear and obvious was not how VAR worked, they ruined their process. Three times this season we feel injustice.
‘Before the season, they explained the process of VAR and only when it’s clear and obvious is when they should interfere.
‘What they didn’t do against Spurs, where they should have interfered on Bruno [Fernandes] red card, they didn’t do it.
PGMOL bigwig Howard Webb believes the penalty call was wrong, according to The Times
Referee David Coote did not initially award the penalty after seeing the incident in London
However, he was called over to the monitor by VAR Michael Oliver and overturned his decision
Ten Hag slammed the injustice against United after the controversial stoppage-time penalty
‘Now they make the wrong decision interfering and both have a big impact on the games.’
The Premier League said VAR official Michael Oliver had deemed there to be significant contact on Ings’ lower leg and therefore recommended an on-field review.
Ten Hag was asked whether the fact it was a senior referee who had called for the review affected Coote’s decision to overturn his original call.
‘I don’t criticise any person, I criticise the process. Of course there are people that are running the process,’ the Dutchman said.
‘The off-field VAR was Michael Oliver. The on-field [referee] has to make a decision in the final moment.
‘He took I think three minutes to decide and to make this call. But then you have to show big personality to ignore this decision that an experienced VAR [referee] has made.’
Ten Hag’s contract was terminated after two-and-a-half years, with the Dutchman having won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup but also presided over the club’s worst-ever Premier League finish of eighth last season.
Ten Hag was in the dark over his fate until Monday morning, when he was called to meet with CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth. Sources say the meeting with ‘respectful and dignified’.
Casemiro thought he had earned a point for United when he headed in a late equaliser
Erik ten Hag was consoled by his parents in his hometown of Oldenzaal, Netherlands, after being sacked by Manchester United. He is seen with his father Hennie
The 54-year-old was visited by his parents Hennie and Joke at his £1m three storey home
MailOnline exclusively revealed how he retreated to his hometown of Oldenzaal in the Netherlands, where he was comforted by his parents, Hennie and Joke.
After finding out his fate, Ten Hag immediately raced to Manchester Airport, where a private Cessna Citation jet was waiting to take him back to the Netherlands.
It’s believed that after his dismissal on Monday the Dutchman didn’t even return to his UK base but raced straight to the jet that was waiting to fly him to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport – leaving wife Bianca and their three children at home in Cheshire.
Five days after his sacking, Ten Hag was spotted taking in some Eredivisie action as he took his seat at Heracles Almelo’s 2-0 win over NAC Breda.
Ruben Amorim will step into the hotseat to replace Ten Hag from November 11, having agreed a two-and-a-half year deal.
He will leave behind Sporting Lisbon, where he has won two league titles – including a first in 19 years for the club – and takes up the reins from interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Ruben Amorim has agreed a deal to succeed Ten Hag in the Manchester United hot seat
Van Nisterooy steered United to a 5-2 win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup last 16 in his first match in charge, with Casemiro and Bruno fernandes scoring doubles while Alejandro Garnacho chipped in with a goal.
However, they could only draw 1-1 with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday, and their old profligacy in front of goal reared its head – even with a prolific goalscorer prowling the touchline.
