The Premier League spotlight often shines brightly on the players and managers, but recent matches involving Manchester United and Brentford have thrown the performances of referees into sharp relief. While criticism has been directed at some decisions, these instances also provide valuable learning opportunities for officials and fans alike.
One particularly contentious moment occurred during Manchester United's 3-1 defeat to Brentford in September. A challenge by Brentford defender Nathan Collins on Bryan Mbeumo inside the penalty area led to referee Craig Pawson awarding a penalty and issuing a yellow card to Collins. However, many observers, including former referees, believed that Collins should have been shown a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. The Premier League Match Centre stated that VAR reviewed the decision but concluded that Mbeumo was not in full control of the ball, leading to the decision not to issue a red card.
Howard Webb, the head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), reportedly contacted Manchester United to say that the match officials made an error. Former England striker Alan Shearer said on Match of the Day that it should have been a red card, stating Mbeumo was pulled back and couldn't be in control of the ball. American referee David Gerson also argued that it was a clear red card for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. He highlighted that the distance, number of defenders, direction, and likelihood of control all pointed to a red card.
Another incident involving Manchester United arose during their recent 4-2 victory over Brighton. Amad Diallo went down in the box after a challenge by Maxim De Cuyper, but referee Anthony Taylor waved away the penalty appeals. The Premier League Match Centre stated that VAR checked the play and confirmed the on-field decision, deeming that De Cuyper played the ball. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and Jay Bothroyd disagreed on the call. Bothroyd felt it was a "definite penalty", while Gallagher pointed to the consistency in similar decisions. Gary Neville noted that Luke Shaw pulled back Georginio Rutter before Mbeumo's goal, and was surprised it wasn't called a foul.
These incidents highlight the challenges faced by referees in making split-second decisions under pressure. The application of VAR, while intended to eliminate clear and obvious errors, is still subject to interpretation and can lead to further debate. Consistency in decision-making is crucial, and these instances provide opportunities for PGMOL to clarify the guidelines and expectations for referees and VAR officials.
In another match, Liverpool felt aggrieved by penalty decisions in their defeat to Brentford. Mark Clattenburg, a former Premier League referee, stated that both penalty decisions were correct, with Virgil van Dijk making contact with Dango Ouattara inside the penalty area. He also noted that Cody Gakpo went to ground too easily in his penalty appeal.
These examples demonstrate that even with the aid of technology, refereeing remains a difficult and often controversial aspect of football. However, by openly discussing these decisions and learning from them, the standard of officiating can continue to improve, ultimately benefiting the game.
