Manchester United are planning to make a formal complaint to referees' body PGMOL after feeling aggrieved by a VAR decision in their 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Friday night. Michael Carrick described the non-award of a penalty for Adrien Truffert's challenge on Amad as 'mental' and 'astonishing'. Referee Stuart Attwell waved away the appeal, and Bournemouth immediately equalised through Ryan Christie.
United had earlier taken the lead from a penalty after Alex Jimenez pulled back Matheus Cunha, while Harry Maguire was sent off for a foul on Evanilson. But the decision not to award a second spot-kick for the tug on Amad has sparked anger at Old Trafford. The Premier League match centre stated the contact was 'not sufficient for a foul'.
Alan Shearer has been one of VAR's harshest critics and backed United's anger, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: 'You remember all those years ago when it was wheeled out to say they are not going to re-referee and it was only for clear and obvious things, but it could not have gone further south than that even if they tried.' He added that the standard of referees is 'the worst we have seen for a long time' and criticising their reliance on VAR.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock also condemned the system, calling it 'the worst thing that has been introduced to the game' and stating it has 'ruined the enjoyment in stadiums'. He referenced another recent error where PGMOL admitted Brighton should have had a penalty against Arsenal. United captain Bruno Fernandes felt VAR should have overturned Attwell's original decision.
