Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday was overshadowed by contentious VAR decisions that left Fulham boss Marco Silva furious. The result extends United's disappointing start to the season with just one point from two Premier League games.
Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty in the first half, sending his spot-kick over the crossbar after Calvin Bassey was penalized for a foul on Mason Mount. According to Mirror, Bassey later called Fernandes' miss "justice" for what he considered a questionable penalty decision.
United take controversial lead
Leny Yoro broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when his header deflected off Rodrigo Muniz following a corner kick. Silva was incensed by the goal, claiming Yoro pushed Bassey before winning the header.
"I think what I saw is what everyone saw in the stadium; everyone around the world saw it," Silva told the BBC. "Two players were isolated at a corner and one player pushed the other to head the ball. If you go by the rules you know what is going to happen."
Bassey supported his manager's assessment, telling the BBC: "For me, it is clear and obvious. He has got two hands in the back and he has created an advantage for himself. If there is no contact, I get up there and fight with him."
Fulham fight back despite frustration
Emile Smith Rowe equalized for Fulham in the 73rd minute to secure a valuable point against United. Silva expressed particular frustration with VAR's inconsistent decision-making throughout the match.
"I would like to explain everything about the VAR decisions this afternoon, but I can't," Silva said. "They were unbelievable seeing two fouls at the same time, Shaw on Rodrigo and Bassey on Mount at the same time, both fouls, and they saw that Bassey foul was half of a half second before the Shaw foul on Muniz."
Expert criticism mounts for United
The disappointing result has drawn sharp criticism from pundits. According to Metro, ESPN analyst Craig Burley described Fernandes' penalty miss and overall performance as "beyond embarrassing."
The i reports that Alex Iwobi provided tactical insight, suggesting Fulham successfully exploited gaps in United's midfield during their comeback. The result highlights ongoing struggles under Ruben Amorim's tactical adjustments.
Silva concluded positively despite his VAR frustrations: "I'm pleased for the reaction, pleased how we came back in the second half after a goal that should be disallowed."
Sources used: "Manchester Evening News", "Mirror", "Metro", "The i"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
