Webb Explains Why Man Utd Got One Penalty But Not Another in Bournemouth Draw
Howard Webb, the head of Premier League referees, has broken down the controversial penalty decisions from Manchester United's 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. The key difference, according to Webb, came down to the speed of the attacking players involved in the two incidents.
United took the lead twice through Bruno Fernandes and a James Hill own goal, but Bournemouth fought back with goals from Ryan Christie and a late Eli Junior Kroupi penalty. The match was defined by two major penalty calls that went in opposite directions for the same team.
The Two Key Incidents
In the first half, United were awarded a penalty when Alex Jimenez pulled down Matheus Cunha. Bruno Fernandes converted the spot-kick. Later, with United leading 2-1, winger Amad Diallo went down in the Bournemouth box after being held by Adrien Truffert. The on-field referee, Stuart Attwell, waved play on, and the VAR, Craig Pawson, did not intervene to recommend a review.
Seconds after that non-call, Bournemouth equalized through Ryan Christie. Then, in the dying moments, United defender Harry Maguire was adjudged to have pulled over Bournemouth striker Evanilson in the box. Referee Attwell pointed to the spot and showed Maguire a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Kroupi scored the penalty to secure a 2-2 draw.
The Official Explanation from Howard Webb
Speaking on Sky Sports' Match Officials Mic'd Up program, PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb analyzed the decisions. He stated that while both incidents involved pushing or holding, the crucial factor was the attackers' momentum.
"They're both pushing actions, but there are some differences," Webb explained. "Most of the difference sits around the speed the attackers are moving at. In Amad's case, he wasn't moving particularly quickly. There was some contact. It's a judgment call on how impactful it is."
Webb contrasted that with the Evanilson incident: "Evanilson is going past Maguire. It's a completely different pace, in my opinion, to Amad. Maguire desperately pushes him over to stop him from going through to score. A very clear situation of a foul."
He emphasized that the VAR protocol respects the on-field referee's subjective judgment unless there is a clear and obvious error. In Amad's case, the VAR deemed it a "grey" area and supported the referee's original call of no penalty. For Maguire's foul, Webb said that if the referee had not given it, the VAR would have intervened because it was "clearly and obviously a penalty."
Manchester United's Reaction
The differing calls left Manchester United's manager and captain furious. Bruno Fernandes argued that both situations were identical and both should have been penalties.
Head coach Michael Carrick was more direct in his criticism. "We should have had another penalty," Carrick told Sky Sports. "Obviously, if you get one, you must get the other. It's pretty much identical for me, two-hand grab. Either way, he's got one wrong, but to give one and not give the other, I can't get my head around it, I think it's crazy. It's a bit baffling, really."
Carrick believed the sequence of events changed the game: "Because of that, they score and then it's chaos after that, really. We should have had another penalty and the game would have been totally different."
Key Takeaways from the Controversy
- Speed Dictates the Call: The PGMOL's official stance is that the velocity of the attacking player is a primary factor in judging the impact of a foul in the penalty area.
- VAR's Subjective Boundary: The Video Assistant Referee is instructed not to overturn subjective on-field decisions unless they represent a clear and obvious error, leaving room for perceived inconsistencies.
- Game-Changing Moments: The non-call on Amad Diallo immediately preceded Bournemouth's first equalizer, and the penalty awarded against Harry Maguire led to the second, directly influencing the final result.
- Managerial Frustration: United's staff viewed the two incidents as virtually identical, highlighting a disconnect between how teams and officiating bodies interpret similar contact in the box.
— Editorial Team
