Ten Hag is frustrated by the VAR decision that saw United go down 2-1 to West Ham
Manchester United coach Erik Ten Hag expressed his dissatisfaction with the controversial penalty kick that gave West Ham a 2-1 victory, adding another blow to United’s faltering campaign in the English Premier League.
Ten Hag’s men created plenty of chances and looked set to leave the London Stadium with at least a point. However, a last-gasp injury-time penalty awarded after a lengthy VAR review dashed United’s hopes, recording their fourth league loss of the season.
Controversial penalty decision: Ten Hag’s reaction
Referee David Coote initially appeared unconvinced by the claims for a penalty kick after an altercation between Matthijs de Ligt and West Ham’s Danny Ings. But on the advice of the VAR, Cote was sent to the pitch monitor, where he reversed his decision, awarding West Ham the penalty that ultimately sealed United’s fate.
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Ten Hag did not hold back, sharing his frustration on the BBC’s Match of the Day programme: “Before the season, there were instructions about VAR only intervening on clear and obvious fouls… and this is certainly not a clear and obvious foul from the on-field referee.” . “.
Despite the controversy over the penalty, Ten Hag admitted he had no choice but to accept the ruling. “I spoke to them,” he explained after the match. “But the decision has been made. There is no way back and this is football.” This was the third time this season, according to Ten Hag, that he felt Manchester United struggled with refereeing decisions, each time changing the landscape of their position in the league.
Missed opportunities: United’s ongoing struggle in front of goal
Manchester United dominated the first half and created many golden opportunities, but failed to exploit them. Alejandro Garnacho hit the crossbar, while Diogo Dalot wasted an open chance. Rasmus Hoglund and Marcus Rashford also blocked two attempts from West Ham’s veteran goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski. Captain Bruno Fernandes missed a header, summing up United’s suffering in front of goal.
In total, United have scored just eight goals this season, a figure only slightly better than Crystal Palace and Southampton. More worrying is the xG (expected goals) difference; United’s goals are 8, but their xG is 14.56, giving them the biggest negative gap in the Premier League (-6.56).
“We have to look in the mirror, we are not scoring in a good game of our own,” Ten Hag admitted. “Create a lot of chances and don’t concede, but when you lose like that it’s a bad feeling… Six or seven 100 percent chances we should have scored… It’s not fair to pick one player. I could also say Jarnacho, twice, and Hoglund “One time, Rashford, Bruno. He missed a lot of chances.”
Ten Hag is under pressure as United’s season falters
United’s inconsistent form puts them just outside the relegation zone, sitting in 14th place with just 11 points from their first nine games – their second-lowest tally at this stage in recent history. They are also struggling in their Europa League campaign, picking up just three points from their first three matches.
With expectations high and results declining, the speculation about Ten Hag’s future has become difficult to ignore. Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown spoke of the mounting pressure, saying: “Football is very cruel because his team were the better team by miles in the first half and should have been out of sight. Today they were unlucky.”
United’s performance against West Ham was by no means a disaster, but their inability to finish games and a growing sense of injustice over refereeing decisions add to the frustration. Key figures within the club, including co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth, will be watching closely as the season progresses, especially after recent speculation around the international break over Ten Hag’s job security.
Moving forward: Will Manchester United find their form?
The question now is how will United respond? While there is no immediate suggestion of Ten Hag’s departure, a failure to turn things around will inevitably lead to greater scrutiny. The Dutchman, who was appointed with high hopes and after a positive run in the FA Cup Final, now finds himself in a precarious position. United fans are also weary of the false dawns and repeated setbacks in a season that promises more.
Erik ten Hag’s post-match comments perhaps reveal a coach grappling with forces beyond his control, from missed opportunities to controversial VAR decisions. “It feels bad,” he admitted. He added: “But when we don’t score, we have to stay calm.”
For Manchester United, consistency and composure are vital now more than ever. If they want to salvage their season and improve their position in the Premier League, the team must address their goalscoring woes, focus on defensive solidity, and perhaps hope that decisions go their way more often than not.
