According to PGMO chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, the penalty decisions that didn't go in Manchester United's favor at Bournemouth hinged on the varying speeds of the attacking players. Manchester United had taken the lead twice, courtesy of Bruno Fernandes and an own goal by James Hill, but the hosts managed to equalize through Ryan Christie and a late penalty from Eli Junior Kroupi. The match saw several pivotal moments, including a penalty awarded to Manchester United after a foul on Matheus Cunha and the dismissal of Harry Maguire for a professional foul on Evanilson, which led to the equalizing penalty.
Webb explained that the referee's judgment call on the impact of contact between players was crucial in such situations. In the case of Amad Diallo's penalty appeal, Webb noted that the player's relatively slow speed and the contact made by Adrien Truffert were factors in the decision not to award a penalty. In contrast, Evanilson's pace and Maguire's desperate attempt to stop him led to a clear foul being called.
The on-field officials' decisions were respected by the VAR, with Webb emphasizing the importance of not being overly intrusive unless a clear error had been made. Manchester United's boss, Michael Carrick, expressed frustration at the inconsistency in penalty decisions, describing it as 'crazy' and 'baffling.'