Manchester United coach, Erik Ten Hag has lamented that the 2-1 to West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday feels unfair and unjust.
The Red Devils fell to a debatable penalty decision in the 92nd minute after Matthijs De Ligt was adjudged to have fouled Danny Ings.
Referee David Coote waved aside the initial penalty shouts before he was sent to the pitchside monitor by the Video Assistant Referee to review the challenge, and he pointed to the spot after the review.
Jarrod Bowen scored from the spot to give West Ham the lead, and ultimately the maximum points, but the decision has divided opinions.
Ten Hag believes it was unfair and unjust to award the penalty.
He said, “Before the season, there was the instruction about VAR only interfering in clear and obvious mistakes.
“That is definitely not a clear and obvious mistake from the on-field referee.”
The visitors dominated the first half while missing hosts of chances with Diogo Dalot missing an open goal as the first half ended goalless.
West Ham improved in the second half and Summerville finally got the answer to give them a 1-0 lead in the 74th minute.
Casemiro restored parity for Manchester United with a well-placed header in the 81st minute.
Bowen handed West Ham the maximum points from the spot in the 92nd minute to give the team their third Premier League win of the season.
Ten Hag blamed the players for failing to take their chances in the game.
He said, “We have to look in the mirror, we don’t score in a good game from our side. Create loads of chances and concede none, but when you lose in this way, it’s a bad feeling.
“Unfair and unjust the way we conceded the penalty, we have to score, we created so many chances. We should’ve been two or three up.
“Second half we were forcing it but we allowed them into the game. When you are losing 1-0 you need a big personality and character of the team and [they] showed resilience to get back into it. Unfair and unjust the way we conceded the penalty.
“I spoke with them. But the decision is made. There’s no way back and that’s football.
“That’s a third time I have felt injustice in the season and it has a big impact on our team and on our scores and where we are in the table. It’s not right.”
The defeat leaves Ten Hag’s team in 14th on the Premier League log with 11 points from nine matches.
Manchester United have won just once in their last eight games in all competitions to further increase the pressure on Erik Ten Hag.
The Red Devils will return to action in the EFL Cup against Leicester City on Wednesday.
