West Ham beat Manchester United with help from controversial VAR call

Manchester United's slump continued with a controversial 2-1 loss to West Ham, after a dramatic VAR-awarded penalty in stoppage time left Erik ten Hag's side left them only 3 positions away from relegation zone.

In Short

• Controversial VAR penalty call in stoppage time crushed United’s hopes
• Garnacho’s blistering strike rattled the crossbar in opening minutes
• Casemiro’s determined header brought United level in the 81st

Manchester United’s Premier League struggles took another hit with a 2-1 defeat to West Ham United, marred by a contentious VAR call that handed the home side a last-minute penalty. Despite numerous goal-scoring opportunities, Erik ten Hag’s team was left empty-handed and frustrated as their misfortunes compounded, keeping them closer to the relegation zone than desired.

The match opened with Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho rattling the crossbar in the early minutes, signaling the Red Devils’ attacking intent. Diogo Dalot, too, missed a golden opportunity after chipping over goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, only to see his attempt not even be on target. United’s series of missed chances made the frustration evident on Ten Hag’s face as the first half wore on, especially given the solid defensive show put on by Lisandro Mart­nez and Matthijs de Ligt, who managed West Ham’s frequent breakaways.

The game came alive in the second half with relentless end-to-end action. West Ham took the lead in the 74th minute when Crysencio Summerville slotted home after capitalizing on a miscued attempt from Danny Ings, putting the London Stadium crowd on their feet. United, however, responded swiftly: Casemiro scored a header just seven minutes later, converting a misdirected pass from Joshua Zirkzee to bring the game level.

A mind-boggling VAR call

However, chaos erupted in stoppage time. A seemingly innocuous collision between De Ligt and Ings led to a VAR review that controversially awarded West Ham a penalty. Michael Oliver, the on-field referee, had not initially deemed it a foul. Yet, after an extensive VAR analysis that showed minimal contact, Oliver reversed his decision, giving West Ham a penalty that left United players and fans alike bewildered. This call proved decisive, pushing West Ham to victory.

Despite United’s vigorous late-game efforts, the relentless West Ham defence blocked every attacking attempt. United’s forwards were unable to find a way past the West Ham backline, and Ten Hag’s frustration mounted as his team failed to capitalise on their numerous scoring opportunities.

Attacking woes continue for United

Garnacho, while energetic, struggled to finish chances, and his earlier stumble led directly to Summerville’s opening goal. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford’s performance was uninspired, as he struggled to make any significant impact before being subbed out for Amad Diallo in the 70th minute. Rashford’s lack of movement, poor positioning, and failure to register a meaningful shot encapsulated United’s offensive woes.

With the loss, Manchester United now sits precariously in 14th place, only three positions above the relegation zone. Ten Hag faces mounting pressure amid speculation over his future as United’s manager, and his team’s struggles to execute in critical moments continue to plague their Premier League campaign. For Ten Hag, this latest defeat underlines the pressing need to address United’s attacking deficiencies, and the road ahead looks increasingly challenging as the club fights to rise from their current predicament.