According to PGMO chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, the disparity in penalty decisions against Manchester United at Bournemouth can be attributed to the varying speeds of the attacking players. United had taken the lead twice, courtesy of Bruno Fernandes and an own goal by James Hill, but the hosts equalized through Ryan Christie and a late penalty from Eli Junior Kroupi.
The pivotal moment came when Amad Diallo's penalty appeal was dismissed, despite being held by Adrien Truffert, whereas Harry Maguire was given a straight red card for pulling over Evanilson, resulting in a penalty. Webb noted that the key difference lay in the speed of the attackers, with Evanilson moving at a faster pace than Diallo. The VAR and referee's decisions were respected in both instances, although United's Fernandes and head coach Michael Carrick expressed frustration at the inconsistency.
Webb emphasized that the referee's judgment call on the impact of the contact is crucial, and in the case of Maguire's foul, it was a clear and obvious penalty. The incident has sparked debate, with Carrick describing the decision not to award a second penalty as 'crazy' and 'baffling'.