Erik ten Hag Slams VAR Process After Controversial Penalty Costs Manchester United Against West Ham
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Premier League’s Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system following his team’s heartbreaking 2-1 loss to West Ham. In particular, Ten Hag questioned the decision-making process that led to a late penalty against United, accusing the VAR officials and on-field referee David Coote of lacking the necessary “personality” to make the right call. The incident occurred after a collision between United defender Matthijs de Ligt and West Ham’s Danny Ings. While referee Coote initially waved play on, VAR official Michael Oliver intervened, advising Coote to review the footage, ultimately leading to the penalty call. Jarrod Bowen converted from the spot in the 92nd minute, handing United their fourth league defeat of the season.
According to the Premier League Match Centre, Oliver deemed there was enough contact on Ings’ lower leg to warrant a penalty review. However, Ten Hag was outraged, claiming that the ‘referee’s call’ rule, designed to give on-pitch officials the benefit of the doubt in marginal cases, had been misused. United fans, already feeling hard done by in recent weeks, were left fuming that Oliver’s intervention had tilted the game in West Ham’s favor at a crucial moment.
“Football is not always fair, and today was one of those days,” Ten Hag said, clearly frustrated. “The VAR is supposed to step in only for clear and obvious errors, but that didn’t happen today. We’ve been told that only in the most blatant cases should the VAR interfere. Yet, here we are, facing a decision that’s overturned and costs us the game. And it’s not the first time—it’s becoming a trend. When we faced Spurs, they didn’t step in on a critical decision that went against us. Now, they interfere on a call that was questionable at best.”
Ten Hag made it clear his grievance wasn’t personal but aimed at the VAR process itself. He remarked on the lengthy deliberation time, with Coote taking three minutes to decide. “When you’re in such a high-stakes moment, you need to have the courage to stick with the right decision. There are people running the VAR process, and the process itself needs fixing, but those in charge have to be willing to make bold calls when it matters.”
Manchester United’s offensive struggles also added to the disappointment. Diogo Dalot missed an open goal, and the team rattled the crossbar twice while wasting several clear opportunities in the first half. Substitute Crysencio Summerville put West Ham ahead in the 74th minute, and despite United’s pressure, they couldn’t convert. With only eight goals from nine league games and a negative goal difference, United’s finishing woes are becoming a glaring issue for Ten Hag’s team.
Reflecting on the missed opportunities, Ten Hag said, “We played some excellent football, especially in the first half, showing the type of dominance and fluidity I want from my team. We controlled possession, structured our attacks well, worked between the lines, and created openings. I counted six or seven clear chances where we should have found the net. The finishing simply wasn’t there, but the football was. When you create that many high-quality chances, you need to stay composed and believe the goals will come.”
Despite his frustration with the officiating, Ten Hag tried to stay positive about his team’s overall performance. “Apart from the finishing, I don’t have many criticisms of the way we played. The issue is our lack of composure in front of goal. If we stay patient and keep pushing, we’ll eventually start scoring those chances. We need to remain calm and consistent; it’s the only way to progress.”
With pressure mounting on Ten Hag amid United’s poor start, this controversial loss to West Ham only heightens the scrutiny. But for Ten Hag, it’s clear he feels his team has been on the wrong end of some questionable calls, impacting their season in critical moments. Whether the board and fans continue to support his vision will likely depend on whether United can start turning their dominance on the pitch into goals and points on the board.