VAR Error Contributed to Ten Hag’s Sacking
Premier League chief refereeing officer Howard Webb has acknowledged a significant VAR error in the West Ham United vs. Manchester United match that ultimately led to Erik ten Hag’s dismissal.
The controversial incident occurred in the 89th minute when VAR official Michael Oliver overturned referee David Coote’s initial decision not to award a penalty. The penalty, which was scored by Jarrod Bowen, proved to be the decisive moment in the match.
Webb admitted that the VAR’s focus on De Ligt’s leg movement obscured the fact that the ball had already passed the defender before contact was made with Ings.
He argued that the on-field decision should have been upheld, avoiding the controversial penalty. This error, coupled with other factors, contributed to the pressure on Ten Hag, ultimately leading to his dismissal.