The chief refereeing officer at PGMO, Howard Webb, has provided insight into the penalty decisions that went against Manchester United in their match against Bournemouth. Webb attributed the differing outcomes to the varying speeds at which the attackers were moving.
Manchester United had taken the lead twice, with goals from Bruno Fernandes and an own goal by James Hill, but Bournemouth equalized through Ryan Christie and a late penalty from Eli Junior Kroupi. Fernandes' goal came from a penalty spot after Alex Jimenez pulled Matheus Cunha, while Amad Diallo's penalty appeal was dismissed, both on-field and by the VAR, when he was held by Adrien Truffert. Later, Harry Maguire received a straight red card for pulling over Evanilson, resulting in a penalty that Kroupi converted.
According to Webb, the key difference in the two incidents was the speed at which the attackers, Amad and Evanilson, were moving. Webb noted that Amad was not moving quickly and the contact, although present, was deemed not sufficient for a penalty. In contrast, Evanilson was moving at a faster pace when Maguire fouled him, making it a clearer situation for a penalty.
The on-field decision was respected by the VAR in both cases. Manchester United's head coach, Michael Carrick, expressed frustration that only one of the penalties was awarded, describing it as 'crazy' and 'baffling.' Webb clarified that the referee's judgment call is crucial in such situations, and the VAR only intervenes when the decision is clearly wrong. The incident has sparked debate, with some arguing that both situations warranted penalties.