Erik ten Hag blamed more VAR interference for Manchester United’s latest damaging defeat which cast further doubt over his future as manager.
Jarrod Bowen scored a controversial winner for West Ham from the penalty spot two minutes into stoppage time after a long VAR review for Matthijs de Ligt’s challenge on Danny Ings.
Referee David Coote took his time in studying the pitchside monitor before awarding the spot-kick, to the horror of United’s underfire manager and his players.
The PGMOL’s official explanation was that there was “sufficient contact” on the leg of Ings, prompting VAR Michael Oliver to tell Coote to take another look.
Bowen buried the penalty to secure an unlikely 2-1 win from a match that, in fairness, should have long been wrapped up by United.
Yet Ten Hag pointed to the VAR decision not to intervene when Bruno Fernandes was sent off in the 3-0 defeat by Tottenham earlier this month – the red card was subsequently overturned – and this latest controversy as a major reason why his side are languishing in 14th in the Premier League.
Asked if he had spoken to the officials, the Dutchman snapped: “Yes I did.
“So, first of all in football the best team does not always win, today that was clear and obvious.
“But clear and obvious was not the way the VAR worked. Before the season they explained the process of the VAR, and only when it’s clear and obvious should they interfere.
“What they didn’t do against Spurs, when they should have done it, to interfere with the red card for Bruno, and now they make the wrong decision interfering, and both have a big impact on the scores of the games.
“I’m not criticising any person, I criticise the process. It had a big impact on the score. The other impact was that we didn’t score.”
Just how United did not score in a first half during which West Ham were abysmal is anyone’s guess.
Alejandro Garnacho hit the crossbar and put a good chance wide, Fernandes headed over and Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford also missed presentable opportunities.
But the cream of the crop was Diogo Dalot, who rounded Hammers goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski before blazing wide of an open goal from 12 yards.
“We created so many chances and played so much good football, especially in the first half,” added Ten Hag.
“Six or seven 100 per cent chances we should have scored. But when we don’t score we have to stay calm. All over I don’t have so many criticisms about my team, other than not scoring.
“It’s not fair to pick one player (Dalot) out. I can also say Garnacho, twice, Hojlund one time, Rashford, Bruno. So many were missing chances.”
Crysencio Summerville climbed off the bench at half-time to fire the Hammers into an unlikely lead which was quickly cancelled out by Casemiro’s header before VAR’s late intervention.
Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui, himself under scrutiny following their poor start to the season, said he did not see the penalty decision but that Ings told him it was correct.
On Ten Hag’s assertion that the best team lost, the Spaniard added: “I respect his opinion. But I think it was two different halves.
“The first half they were better. I thought second half we changed and we were better.”