Manchester United's Controversial Penalty Decision Against Fulham
Manchester United was awarded a penalty against Fulham after Calvin Bassey brought down Mason Mount in the 33rd minute at Craven Cottage.
The foul initially went unpunished, but referee Chris Kavanagh was directed to the monitor by the video assistant referee (VAR), leading to the decision being overturned.
Bruno Fernandes missed the penalty, sending his shot over the bar. The decision to award the penalty raised eyebrows, especially since United full-back Luke Shaw appeared to commit a similar foul on Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz just moments earlier.
Fulham took the lead in the 58th minute with a goal from Leny Yoro, whose header deflected off Muniz from a corner. However, it seemed that Yoro had pushed Bassey in the back during the play, yet VAR chose not to intervene this time.
The Ask Me Anything team is here to clarify why the penalty was awarded while the foul preceding Manchester United's goal was overlooked.
On the surface, the penalty call appears straightforward, as Bassey was seen pulling Mount down. Given the Premier League's commitment to cracking down on holding during set pieces this season, it was not unexpected that a penalty was given.
“Holding can occur in various situations within the penalty area—sometimes on the ball, sometimes off it, and the severity can vary,” said Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer, at the start of the season. “We have instructed officials that if one player is clearly dragging another to the ground in a blatant non-football action, even off the ball, we expect the referee to take action.”
The issue arises from Shaw's apparent foul on Muniz, occurring simultaneously with the incident involving Bassey and Mount. Shaw had both arms around the Fulham forward, and both players ended up on the ground. Although Shaw's actions constituted a foul, the penalty was awarded because Bassey’s foul was deemed to have occurred first.
However, opinions on the decision vary. Former England goalkeeper Rob Green stated, “The two fouls were simultaneous. Shaw had his arms around his opponent at the same time as Bassey did, so awarding a penalty seems harsh.”
Fulham's frustration intensified when United took the lead at Craven Cottage. Yoro had both hands on Bassey's back, but the referee did not award a free-kick, concluding that the force was insufficient to justify a foul.
This article is part of BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything initiative.