Manchester United were left frustrated after not being awarded a second penalty during their 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Friday night

Amad’s face told the whole story on Friday night as Manchester United conceded immediately after a big penalty appeal was waved away by referee Stuart Attwell during the game with Bournemouth. The winger was seeminglt pulled to the ground by defender Adrien Truffert shortly before Ryan Christie equalised for the Cherries.

VAR official Craig Pawson checked the challenge on the Ivorian but decided Attwell could stick with his on-field decision. “The referee’s call of no penalty for a challenge by Truffert was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed the contact was not sufficient for a foul,” the Premier League’s Match Centre posted afterwards.

The grievance might have ended there had it not been that 10 minutes later Harry Maguire was sent off and Bournemouth awarded a penalty for a similar challenge. On this occasion, the Premier League Match Centre explained: “The referee’s call of penalty and red card for Maguire for the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO) was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed to be a holding offence with no attempt to challenge for the ball.”

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Anyone who watched the game would rightly be scratching their heads at that verdict. After the match, captain Bruno Fernandes called for consistency and felt both the Truffert and Maguire challenges were fouls.

Michael Carrick suggested it was too late for apologies – the match was over and the points had been dropped. And yet, the Reds have taken their complaints further and have contacted the PGMOL for an explanation.

This is where United are likely to lose the sympathy of one of their legends. Gary Neville was an ardent critic of this approach two years ago when Nottingham Forest sought a response from the referee’s governing body after Ivan Toney’s goal for Brentford.

He wrote on X at the time: “Clubs writing to the PGMOL is embarrassing. Liverpool and Arsenal started it and set the precedent of this nonsense.

“The refs should be doing better and are under enormous pressure at the moment. It’s in the clubs’ interests to work with them to make them improve. This public posturing is unnecessary.”

Little has changed in the Premier League since Neville’s comments. Officials remain under the same intense scrutiny and clubs are still seeking answers from the authorities when things go against them.

The trouble is that clubs and referees are sparring against each other instead of working collaboratively and that is why Neville will be against United’s course of action. In their most recent vote, Premier League clubs voted overwhelmingly to keep VAR despite fans being against the technology. United were one of the 19 clubs who voted to keep it in June 2024.

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Manchester United were denied a penalty against Bournemouth shortly before Ryan Christie equalised in the 2-2 draw.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was left furious by VAR’s decision to deny Amad a penalty in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. The Reds were leading 1-0 thanks to the captain’s penalty when Amad was pushed to the ground in the area.

Referee Stuart Attwell took a long look at the tackle and decided to wave play on. Moments later, Ryan Christie equalised for the Cherries. VAR Craig Pawson checked the Amad challenge and advised Attwell to stick with his decision, and the equaliser stood. After regaining the lead, United were reduced to ten men.

Evanilson went to ground after a push from Harry Maguire that looked very similar to the challenge on Amad that was not adjudged to be a penalty. The referee pointed to the spot and Maguire was shown a red card. Speaking to Sky Sports at full-time, Fernandes was clearly angered by the officiating. “I am more disappointed [than frustrated],” he said.

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“We had to finish the game with a lot of suffering and try to not concede a goal. The frustration also came a little bit when we could have gone 2-0 up but we end up conceding a goal, not getting a penalty and then we end up getting a penalty against where, more or less, it is the same situation as Amad.

“I know it is difficult for the referee to give two penalties to the same team but what I don’t understand is why VAR does not get involved in that situation or in the situation with Harry. Either one is a penalty or neither is a penalty.”

The captain continued: “Amad is getting to a point where he is going to shoot and he gets pushed or pulled, I can’t exactly see. You can see there is something which takes him out of balance.

“It is very frustrating for the small players as they always say it is very soft on a small player but when it is a big player they end up giving the foul. I do think it is a penalty [for Bournemouth] but I also think it is a penalty for Amad and that could have changed the game.”

United’s draw means they are four points ahead of Aston Villa, who play their game in hand on Sunday at home to West Ham.

Manchester City beat Newcastle United 2-1 on Saturday night but Dan Burn had a goal controversially chalked off for offside.

Newcastle United defender Dan Burn has admitted he would have done what Ruben Dias did to him during Manchester City’s victory. The Blues were leading 2-1 thanks to a Nico O’Reilly brace when Burn looked to have equalised. However, replays showed the defender was in an offside position when he scored.

The replays also showed Dias pushing the centre-back into the offside position. This caused controversy and when asked about the incident in his post-match press conference, Eddie Howe said: “I don’t know about that rule. I haven’t seen the push, so if that is the case, then I’ll seek clarification.”

Howe also admitted he felt decisions did not go his side’s way during the match but would not blame officials for the defeat. When asked about the controversy himself, Burn was honest about what he would do if roles were reversed. “I felt sort of pushed on the back and I think maybe if I’m a little bit better with it I could probably make more of a meal of it, but I’m not great at doing that,” he said.

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“So yeah, I’ve not seen it back, but as I said, someone said that I was pushed and it’s quite hard to get back onside once you’ve been sort of pushed offside.” He later told ViaPlay: “Yes, he did [push me]. But as a defender, I do the same thing.” City’s victory meant they moved two points behind Arsenal in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s side could reopen a five-point gap if they beat Tottenham on Sunday. However, they will have played a game more than City.

When asked about the run-in, Pep Guardiola said: “That game today is what we are going to face in the next 11. Every game will be like that: a battle.

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“Now we have three days off. I say to them: ‘What you have to do is take a lot of caipirinhas and daiquiris in these next three days, enjoy life’, and then we make proper sessions and go to Leeds.

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“That is the proper way. If we say: ‘We win this, then Arsenal do this or Aston Villa’… [you get a] slap in the face and what you thought [would happen], the opposite happens. I know how difficult it will be. Just win the next game, keep going, never give up.

“[11] games is a lot in the Premier League. Many things are going to happen.”

Manchester City thought they had scored a third goal in stoppage time against Liverpool but VAR intervened to disallow it and send Dominik Szoboszlai off.

Former Manchester City and Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has blasted VAR for interfering in “the most silly way” after Rayan Cherki was denied a third goal vs Liverpool on Sunday. City led 2-1 going into the latter stages of stoppage time with the home side throwing everything forward in search of a winner.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson had gone up for a free kick but was caught in the City half as Cherki looked to have slotted the ball into an empty net from his own half. Initially, it appeared to be a perfectly good goal that should have counted.

However, VAR official John Brooks advised referee Craig Pawson to go to his monitor and review the incident. Confirming the goal was disallowed, Pawson announced: “After review, there is a careless foul by Erling Haaland, that pulls the shirt of Dominik Szoboszlai.

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“Prior to that, Szoboszlai commits a holding offence that denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity. The final decision is a direct free kick to Manchester City and a red card.” Szoboszlai is now expected to be banned for one match due to being dismissed for a denial of a goalscoring opportunity.

After the game, Schmeichel did not hold back when asked about the decision, telling ViaPlay: “The on-field decision is goal. He [the referee] gives the goal. Let it be then.

“This is not the referee. Once VAR interferes – and this is, for me, why VAR absolutely doesn’t work.

“It makes no sense to let the referee… What’s the purpose? Liverpool want the goal to stand because Szoboszlai will be sent off.

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“Man City want the goal. That one goal can mean a lot when we get to the end of the season.

“But why is VAR interfering here? What is the purpose? How does that serve football? I just don’t get it.

“I’ve always been an opponent of VAR. I think it is one of the worse things we have introduced into football. And today, they interfered in the most silly way.”