Manchester United were saved by an ‘embarrassing’ VAR error as referee Andy Madley was ‘shown the wrong footage’ as he overturned Everton’s last gasp penalty
Manchester United were saved by an “embarrassing” VAR error against Everton, according to former Premier League referee Mark Halsey.
The Toffees were denied a last-minute penalty after VAR controversially stepped in to recommend an on-field review to referee Andy Madley. Everton had been awarded a penalty after Ashley Young tumbled to the ground in the penalty area with the score 2-2.
Young’s desperate attempt to win a penalty saw him throw himself to the ground as Harry Maguire and Matthijs De Ligt laid hands on the ex-United captain.
A spot kick was initially awarded before VAR Matt Donohue sent Madley to the screen where he overturned his decision.
However, former Premier League ref Halsey believes it was the wrong decision for VAR to intervene, he told The Sun: “The decision to overturn a penalty awarded to Everton near the end of their 2-2 draw with Manchester United was clearly wrong.
“VAR Matt Donohue should not have got involved because referee Andy Madley’s on-field call was in no way a clear and obvious error.
“Ashley Young’s shirt was pulled – and when an opponent does that in the penalty area he is asking for trouble. When Madley went to the monitor on the advice of VAR he was then shown the wrong footage.
“The Premier League Match Centre posted on social media that Harry Maguire’s challenge on Young had been checked and that no foul had been committed.
“But they failed to take into account that Matthijs de Ligt had pulled Young back by the shirt and had Madley been shown footage filmed from behind the goal he would have seen this. The incident was embarrassing.”
The Premier League’s statement on the decision explained: “VAR checked the referee’s call of penalty to Everton for a challenge by Maguire on Young and deemed that no foul had been committed and recommended an on-field review.
“The referee overturned the original decision and play restarted with an indirect free-kick.”
Following the game, both managers had different views of the incident, Everton boss David Moyes hit out at the officials, slamming: “I can’t understand. [De Ligt] pulled his jersey.
“I just thought the referee made the correct decision at the time and he should stick with it.
“I think everybody who watches football, we’re all looking forward to seeing a referee saying ‘No, no I’m sticking with it’. If it’s absolutely clear and obvious that’s what we’ve got VAR for, but I didn’t think it needed to get involved.”
Meanwhile United boss Ruben Amorim defended the decision, saying: “No, I think it’s a soft touch, it was not [a penalty] from what I saw.
“I think it was a soft penalty, that was clear. If you start the game without the first half, it was a good point, but we needed the three points.”