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. Manchester United initially took the lead through goals from Bruno Fernandes and an own goal by James Hill, but the hosts equalized courtesy of Ryan Christie and a late penalty from Eli Junior Kroupi. The crucial penalty decisions, including a dismissed appeal by Amad Diallo and a straight red card for Harry Maguire, have sparked debate.
Webb noted that the difference in speed between the attackers was a key factor in the referees' decisions, with Evanilson's pace being significantly faster than Amad's when he was fouled by Maguire. The on-field officials and VAR deemed the contact on Amad to be insufficient for a penalty, whereas Maguire's foul on Evanilson was considered a clear and cynical hold. Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick expressed his frustration, stating that the two incidents were identical and that it was 'crazy' and 'baffling' not to award both penalties.
Webb emphasized that the referees' judgments on the impact of the contact are crucial, and in this case, the VAR respected the on-field decision, considering it a subjective call.