Erik ten Hag has criticised the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for the late penalty call that helped West Ham secure a 2-1 over Manchester United.
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Man Utd lose 2-1 to West HamHammers score injury-time penaltyTen Hag slams VAR for 'unfair' decisionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
West Ham's Jarrod Bowen was on target from 12-yards in the second minute of injury time as the Hammers won 2-1 against Manchester United. Matthijs de Ligt was ruled to have fouled Danny Ings inside the area, even though it appeared as though the striker just ran into the Dutchman, and West Ham was given a late penalty after a lengthy VAR check. Referee David Coote had been called to the monitor to assess the incident and gave West Ham the penalty. Ten Hag has now bemoaned the decision made by the VAR to hand United their fourth Premier League loss of the season.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT TEN HAG SAID
Speaking to BBC MOTD, Ten Hag said: "Three times this season we feel injustice. We have to score, we created so many chances. We should've been two or three up. Second half we were forcing it but we allowed them into the game. When you are losing 1-0 you need big personality and character of the team and showed resilience to get back into it. Unfair and unjust the way we conceded the penalty."
When asked about the penalty incident, Ten Hag said: "It was so difficult to see. Before the season there was the instruction about VAR only interfering in clear and obvious mistakes. That is definitely not a clear and obvious mistake from the on field referee.
"More frustrations but I can do nothing with that. They don't collect points and that's what we have to do. We have to look in the mirror, we don't score in a good game from our side. Create loads of chances and concede none but when you lose in this way it's a bad feeling."
When asked if he had spoken to the officials, he said: "I spoke with them. But the decision is made. There's no way back and that's football. That's a third time I have felt injustice in the season and it has a big impact on our team and on our scores and where we are in the table. It's not right."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Manchester United were the better side in the first half at the London Stadium and could have easily had a three-goal lead heading into the break. However, their poor finishing meant that they stumbled yet again as West Ham fought back admirably. Ten Hag added in his post-match press conference: "We create so many chances, the first half is exactly how I want to see my team playing. So dominant. Six or seven 100% chances we should score. When you don't you have to keep calm. That is a point of improvement but I had not so many criticisms of my team."
WHAT NEXT FOR TEN HAG?
The Dutchman's job remains under threat, and the loss will surely have put further pressure on the Manchester United board to dismiss him. The Red Devils will be in action next when they take on Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, October 30.