Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has had his say on the decision to give Burnley a late penalty against Manchester United.
Manchester United’s dreary season trudged on with a 1-1 draw against lowly Burnley on Saturday.
Vincent Kompany’s Clarets are fighting for their survival at the bottom end of the Premier League but were the much better side at Old Trafford.
Burnley created better chances and enjoyed more possession in a match they more than deserved a point from.
A mostly noneventful second half only burst into life in the 79th minute when Antony pounced on a loose ball and kept his composure to slot into the corner under pressure.
That left Erik ten Hag’s side with just over 10 minutes to hold on for the three points but they couldn’t even manage that.
Andre Onana was the player at fault and cost them the win.
Andre Onana costs United three points
In the 84th minute, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was dealing with a high ball in the box when Onana decided to charge off his line.
Instead of clearing the ball, the goalkeeper planted a fist right on the head of Zeki Amdouni and floored the Burnley forward.
After a brief VAR check, the referee gave the penalty and Amdouni sent Onana the wrong way to convert.
The incident was similar to the very first match of the season in which Onana punched a Wolves player in the head in the last minute but got away with conceding a spot kick.
When asked on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday why a penalty wasn’t given then but had been this time, former referee Mike Dean gave his verdict on the decision.
“Because, in August was a complete ticket,” he said.
“So, again they did it wouldn’t happen again. But it’s just a carbon copy, exactly the same and this time, thankfully, it was the correct decision.”
So frustrating from Onana
What makes Onana’s costly mistake even more frustrating is that he was enjoying a great performance beforehand.
The Cameroonian once again had to face a bombardment of shots on his goal due to the porous side in front of him but was keeping Burnley at bay.
The highlight was a save-of-the-season contender in which he had to change direction to prevent a Lyle Foster header from going in and he then denied the forward in a one-on-one.
He was on course to be the Player of the Match before needlessly giving away the penalty.
Onana even made a smart spot at his near post after his mistake to ensure his side didn’t lose. He is clearly a great shot-stopper but his regular mistakes continue to be a hindrance.
