REFS’ chief Howard Webb has conceded the penalty decision that sealed Erik ten Hag’s fate at Manchester United WAS wrong.
When United played at West Ham on October 27, VAR Michael Oliver recommended that match referee David Coote go to the monitor after Hammers’ Danny Ings went down in the box following an 87th-minute skirmish with Matthijs de Ligt.
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West Ham were not appealing for a penalty but to the disbelief of De Ligt and his team-mates, Coote reversed his decision and pointed to the spot.
Jarrod Bowen smashed home the penalty, sending United plunging to their fourth Prem defeat of the season and Ten Hag was sacked the next morning.
Now it has emerged that PGMOL chief Webb accepted Oliver should not have intervened and urged Coote to overturn his decision.
And the Prem’s Key Match Incident panel — made up of former players, managers and referees — are also believed to have determined the final decision was an error and the initial call should have stood.
The revelation will add fuel to Ten Hag’s fire after he was left furious by the crucial incident, suggesting it was the second shocker his side had suffered this season.
Ten Hag also referred to Bruno Fernandes’ red card during the 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham in September — which was overturned by the FA on appeal — as a critical call that wrongly went against his United team.
However, Ten Hag did not mention Lisandro Martinez’s two-footed tackle in the goalless draw at Crystal Palace the previous weekend.
Many experts suggested that the defender should have been dismissed rather than merely booked.
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Even so, Webb’s admission, which is expected to be made public in a week during the next edition of the monthly Mic’d Up refereeing review show, will only serve to justify Ten Hag’s feeling that he was the victim of poor calls which ultimately cost him his job.
Particularly after the Premier League claimed sufficient contact was made on Ings.
A statement after the match said: “The referee did not award a penalty to West Ham for a challenge by De Ligt on Ings.
“The VAR deemed there was sufficient contact on Ings’ lower leg and recommended an on-field review.
“The referee overturned his original decision and awarded a penalty.”
