Premier League's "Mental" Calls Leave Michael Carrick Completely Stunned and Searching for Answers
The Premier League has issued official, though somewhat ambiguous, clarifications regarding the referee's choice to refuse Manchester United a penalty against Bournemouth while subsequently granting the Cherries a spot kick for a remarkably similar incident—a sequence of decisions that prompted the typically composed Michael Carrick to describe as "mental."
United's disjointed 2–2 stalemate with Bournemouth on Friday evening was shaped by 27 crucial seconds occurring three-quarters through the match.
With the away side already ahead by one goal courtesy of a Bruno Fernandes penalty following an obvious foul on Matheus Cunha, Amad Diallo collapsed under challenge from Adrien Truffert, appealing for a second penalty. Referee Stuart Attwell gestured for play to continue, and within thirty seconds Ryan Christie struck to level the score for Bournemouth, capitalizing on the confused United defense.
To the dismay of the frustrated figures dressed in damp white jerseys, Attwell remained unmoved in his decision. Video assistant referee (VAR) Craig Pawson concurred. Tensions escalated again when Harry Maguire was sanctioned for pushing Evanilson in what Carrick characterized as "virtually identical." The United defender, recently called up for England and engaged in contract negotiations, was immediately dismissed.
"We deserved another penalty. Clearly, if you award one, you must award the other," Carrick fumed to Sky Sports after the match concluded.
"It's virtually identical in my view, two-handed contact. Either way, he's made an error, but to award one and deny the other, I cannot comprehend it, I think it's insane. It's quite perplexing, honestly."
Why Man Utd Were Denied a Second Penalty
The Premier League's official match center X account made it quite evident that the VAR dismissed Amad's efforts to secure a penalty. Pawson concluded that "the contact was insufficient for a foul."
Truffert undeniably placed both hands on Amad's torso, though whether the pressure exerted was genuinely enough to bring down the slight winger is something only United's No. 16 can confirm.
In the end, this represents a subjective decision. Since no clear and obvious mistake occurred in VAR's assessment—that multiple analysts supported the call indicates some uncertainty exists—there was no basis to overturn the referee's field decision. The identical reasoning applies at the opposite end of the field.
Maguire positioned his hands on nearly the identical area of Evanilson's frame as Truffert had during the incident with Amad. Nevertheless, the Premier League determined that specific contact constituted a "holding violation."
As BBC Sport's football issues correspondent Dale Johnson noted, each decision stands alone. "VAR's function is not, and never has been, to establish consistency in decision making." In practice, VAR demonstrated considerable consistency by supporting the on-field referee's judgment on both occasions.
Why Was Harry Maguire Sent Off?
Maguire's troubles were worsened by a direct red card.
The Premier League subsequently explained that Maguire had committed the offense of denying a goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO). Since he was considered to have made "no effort to compete for the ball"—pulling Evanilson down without attempting a tackle—he had to receive a red card instead of a yellow, according to Law 12 in the FA Handbook.
Since this involved DOGSO rather than serious foul play, Maguire will serve only a one-match suspension. However, Manchester United's limited fixture list means he must wait 29 days before returning to club action.
Due to the international break and the Easter weekend FA Cup quarterfinals, United's next match isn't until Leeds United visits on April 13. Maguire must observe that heated encounter from the sidelines before rejoining the squad for a crucial trip to fellow Champions League contenders Chelsea on April 18. Fortunately, Maguire has several England internationals this month to maintain his match fitness.
Bruno Fernandes Asks Serious Questions of the Referee
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes suggested that referee Attwell rejected Amad's claims because he had already awarded a penalty to the Red Devils earlier in the evening.
"I believe we could have taken a 2–0 lead, but instead we conceded a goal, didn't receive a penalty, and then had one awarded against us, where essentially it's the identical situation as Amad," Fernandes complained to Sky Sports following the final whistle.
"One is given as a penalty, the other isn't. I understand it's challenging for the referee to award two penalties in one match to the same team, but what I cannot grasp is why VAR doesn't intervene in that scenario.
"Either both are penalties or neither should be a penalty."
Fernandes wasn't the only one making that case, but it's an argument that went unheeded.