Former Premier League referee Howard Webb has dropped his two cents on the controversial VAR call to award Burnley a penalty against Manchester United.
Manchester United hosted Burnley at Old Trafford on Saturday and took the lead in the second half after Antony broke the deadlock with a superb solo effort.
However, the Red Devils were unable to maintain their lead and Erik ten Hag’s men would ultimately drop points after a reckless challenge from Andre Onana.
A poor Casemiro headed clearance saw Andre Onana charge off his line and clatter into Zeki Amdouni during his effort to clear the ball away.
VAR intervened and ruled that United No 1 Andre Onana was at fault, with referee John Brooks subsequently pointing to the spot-kick.
Zeki Amdouni stepped up for the penalty and sent Onana the wrong way, as Premier League strugglers Burnley snatched an important point from the match.
Webb on VAR’s penalty call against Man Utd
Andre Onana had escaped punishment for a similar challenge in Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Wolves at Old Trafford last August.
The 28-year-old Cameroonian clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic during the Wolves clash in added time after he came out to claim a cross.
Howard Webb, who currently works for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), believes that VAR made up for its previous mistakes.
The ex-FIFA and Premier League referee insisted that VAR made the right call in the United match last week and Burnley deserved the penalty they received.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Match Officials Mic’d Up, Webb said: “When we make an error, we look at why and what we can do better. We share all of that learning with our group, having discussed it with them.
“And we acknowledge that, that situation in week number one at Old Trafford should have led to a VAR intervention and didn’t.
“This is very similar – Onana coming out and not making contact with the ball, making heavy contact with his opponent, not seen by the referee on the field.
“He sees [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka head the ball away but doesn’t see the contact on Amdouni and the VAR sees that pretty quickly.
“It’s a clear error not to award the penalty kick and therefore recommends that the referee looks at it at the screen for himself and sees that heavy contact.
“And it is a penalty kick and there’s no support for non-award of a penalty. Hence the reason it’s a clear error. And we called it correctly and it’s pretty efficient as well.
“So, another good use of VAR. And thankfully this one was called correctly.”
Webb on Onana and Man Utd
PGMOL chief Webb suggested that Onana was fortunate not to be “cautioned” after the United shot-stopper showed “recklessness” with his challenge on Amdouni.
However, he added that referee John Brooks should have booked the former Ajax and Inter Man star, despite claiming there was no “serious foul play.”
“I think there’s a recklessness to it,” Webb added.
“On the day he wasn’t cautioned. I think that that would have been the right outcome to show a yellow card as well, for a reckless action.
“I don’t think it’s serious foul play. I don’t think there’s excessive force or brutality in that challenge, but there’s an element of recklessness. And that would normally lead to a yellow card.”