Premier League make huge Michael Oliver referee decision after West Ham vs Man United controversy
Michael Oliver, the Premier League official who recommended that David Coote review his decision not to award West Ham a last-ditch penalty against Manchester United on Sunday, has been handed a match for the forthcoming weekend.
The decision, which led to Jarod Bowen's 96th-minute spot-kick winner, was ultimately the final nail in the coffin for Erik ten Hag, who was sacked less than one day later by United. It came as the final match in a run of eight including just one win.
Speaking afterwards, Ten Hag lamented the use of VAR at the London Stadium. "Clear and obvious wasn't how the VAR worked their process," he said, angered.
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"Before the season they explained the process of the VAR and said they'd only act if it was clear and obvious. So it should have interfered for Bruno's red card at Tottenham - that was a wrong decision and this was a wrong decision.
"Both have a big impact on the games. I'm not criticising any person, I'm criticising the process. Of course, there are people running the process and it had a big impact on the score."
United should have been out of sight from Julen Lopetegui's side in the first half regardless, spurning countless chances to take a lead and create distance between themselves and their opponents. Opportunities for Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Hojlund, just to name two, are just as much to blame for the final result as Oliver and Coote's overturn.
However, having clawed the game back through Casemiro - who scored to level the match after Crysencio Summerville put the Hammers ahead - a Matthijs de Ligt foul on Danny Ings was eventually given. Coote, the matchday referee, initially waved play on before Oliver suggested he go to the pitchside monitor to review the footage.
After a lengthy check of the collision, Coote pointed to the spot. Oliver has since been heavily criticised for his role. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher, speaking on Sky Sports' Ref Watch, said, "I didn't think it was a penalty. I didn't think it was a penalty. Look at it, it's a coming together.
"De Ligt does little wrong, Ings goes into him. The referee plays on and I think the referee makes the right decision. He's sent to the monitor and I was even confident that at the monitor he would stand his ground. When he didn't, that was the biggest surprise to me."
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Despite this adjudged error, Oliver remains on the Premier League appointment schedule for matchday 10. He will oversee Manchester City's trip to Bournemouth on Saturday, slated to kick off at 3pm. Oliver will be assisted by Graham Scott and Sian Massey-Ellis on VAR duty at Stockley Park.
Coote, meanwhile, will not be refereeing and has only been handed VAR work. He will be in charge of helping Craig Pawson remotely for Tottenham's match at home to Aston Villa at 2pm on Sunday. Richard West is alongside him.
As for United, they take on Chelsea at Old Trafford. The selected referee is Rob Jones, who sent off Arsenal's William Saliba at Bournemouth just over one week ago. He overturned an initial yellow card call after help from VAR Jarred Gillett. Michael Salisbury will be on hand with Nick Hopton for Sunday's blockbuster meeting.
Salisbury was part of the VAR team for Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday that chose not to recommend a check of Ibrahima Konate's tackle on Gabriel Martinelli in the first half.