Ex-Premier League referee slams TWO decisions in Man Utd's controversial Fulham draw

Manchester United benefited from two incorrect refereeing decisions in their draw against Fulham on Sunday, according to ex-Premier League referee Mark Halsey.

United drew 1-1 at Craven Cottage in a game dominated by contentious decisions by the officials. The away side should have taken advantage of a penalty call in their favour, but Bruno Fernandes blazed his effort over the crossbar.

Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot after VAR sent him to the pitchside monitor to watch an incident from a corner. Fulham defender Calvin Bassey was adjudged to have fouled United midfielder Mason Mount by throwing him to the floor.

Halsey believes that the VAR did not need to send Kavanagh to review the incident because there was a foul by a United player which cancelled things out. He also thinks that United got away with a foul when Leny Yoro’s header went in off Rodrigo Muniz to put them 1-0 up.

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“As well as Bassey on Mount, you must also look at Luke Shaw on Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz as both incidents happened simultaneously,” Halsey wrote for The Sun.

“I do not know why he was called over. Even when Kavanagh went over to the screen, he was there for quite some time looking at it. There are two incidents, so which one is the more serious? The referee should have just played on. They cancel each other out.

“You can understand why Marco Silva has gone ballistic because for United’s goal, you can see a clear push from Leny Yoro on Bassey. So why is that not disallowed?”

Gary Lineker made a similar point when discussing the decision and how it is communicated to fans on the Rest is Football podcast. He said: "They got a penalty, which my goodness, what a bizarre experience. You know, going to the game, we're watching the game, there's a corner and then the ball's cleared, the ball goes up to the other end of the pitch and Fulham's on the attack.

"Then suddenly the ref stops and you're thinking, 'What's going on here?' Now, I know the experience is probably different at home, but if you're in the ground, Oh my. Then you look at, you see a sign saying VAR penalty check. And I was honestly sitting there and I said 'For which team, who to?'

"I didn't even know whether it was that end or that end, and you had no idea what was going on. I mean, it's such an awful experience for fans."

United have taken just one point from their opening two Premier League games after Emile Smith Rowe cancelled out the Muniz own goal with a well-timed finish from a cross into the box.

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