West Ham 2-1 Manchester United: Erik ten Hag calls VAR intervention 'unfair and unjust' after stoppage-time defeat

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Pressure is building on Erik ten Hag after Manchester United were defeated 2-1 by West Ham at the London Stadium. A controversial stoppage-time penalty, awarded by VAR, was the difference between the sides. The Dutchman called the intervention "unfair and unjust", as it was deemed Matthijs de Ligt illegally impeded Danny Ings inside the area. United have won just one of their last eight games.

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Erik ten Hag took aim at the match officials after a contentious stoppage-time penalty consigned Manchester United to a 2-1 defeat at West Ham.

The Dutchman called the decision to penalise Matthijs de Ligt for a clumsy challenge on Danny Ings “unfair and unjust”.

Crysencio Summerville opened his West Ham account with a quarter of an hour to play, before Casemiro levelled seven minutes later.

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But it was VAR’s intervention to award the late spot-kick, from which Jarrod Bowen struck the winner, that aroused the ire of the under-fire United boss.

“It was unfair and unjust the way we conceded the penalty,” Ten Hag told BBC Sport.

"It was so difficult to see. Before the season, there was the instruction about VAR only interfering in clear and obvious mistakes. That is definitely not a clear and obvious mistake from the on-field referee.

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"More frustrations, but I can do nothing with that. They don't collect points and that's what we have to do.

"I spoke with them [the officials]. But the decision is made. There's no way back and that's football.

“That's a third time I have felt injustice in the season and it has a big impact on our team and on our scores and where we are in the table. It's not right."

United also felt aggrieved when Bruno Fernandes was sent off in a 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham, with the suspension for the Portuguese later rescinded.

Ten Hag said this week that he refuses to acknowledge that result, owing to his captain’s overturned dismissal.

"I deny and ignore the game against Spurs because we were down to 10 at 1-0,” Ten Hag said in his press conference before United drew 1-1 at Fenerbahce.

“That is not a fair assessment to the team to take this into consideration, because we didn't have the chance to bounce back."

But Ten Hag was also left frustrated by his side’s inability to convert chances, with the visitors creating 1.48 expected goals in the first period without finding the back of the net.

Diogo Dalot inexplicably blazed over the bar in the 32nd minute, having already passed Lukasz Fabianski and found the goal gaping.

"We have to score. We created so many chances. We should've been two or three up,” said Ten Hag.

“Second half we were forcing it, but we allowed them into the game. When you are losing 1-0 you need big personality and character of the team and show resilience to get back into it.

“We have to look in the mirror, we don't score in a good game from our side. We created loads of chances and conceded none, but when you lose in this way it's a bad feeling."

The Premier League clarified the justification for awarding the match-winning penalty via their Match Centre X account.

"The referee did not award a penalty to West Ham for a challenge by de Ligt on Ings,” read the statement.

“The VAR deemed there was sufficient contact on Ings’ lower leg and recommended an on-field review. The referee overturned his original decision and awarded a penalty."

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