They say lightning doesn’t strike twice but it has for West Ham in Europe and the Premier League over the last few days.
West Ham suffered a potentially damaging 1-0 defeat in their Europa League last 16 first leg clash at Freiburg.
The Hammers could and should have won the game more comfortably of their own volition.
But they certainly could have come away with a satisfactory 1-1 draw when a Freiburg player tried to give them a helping hand deep into stoppage time.
Referee Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez was sent to the pitchside monitor by his VAR assistants.
And after FOUR minutes of deliberations he opted not to give West Ham what was one of the clearest penalties for handball you will see all season.
West Ham robbed of clear penalty yet again
Fast forward three days and West Ham were pushing for a stoppage time winner in the Premier League clash with Burnley.
With the score at 2-2, Michail Antonio sent a long throw into the box in the last attack of the game.
Former West Ham target Sander Berge leapt to clear it in the box. But he only served to head the ball into his own hands.
That motion stopped the ball dropping down in the six-yard box where who knows what may have happened.
But again West Ham’s appeals for a penalty were dismissed. This time without the referee even been sent to the monitor.
Unacceptable standards of officiating
It was another game where West Ham only have themselves to blame for the result.
But the officials have wronged the Hammers in the last kick of the game for the same offence two games in a row.
You couldn’t make it up.
David Moyes has to take his share of the blame for two poor results.
But he will justifiably be raging with the UEFA and Premier League officials over these incidents.
It’s simply not good enough.
Now we await the “explanation”. Not that there can possibly be one that’s acceptable.