'One of the worst ever' - ex-Premier League referee slams West Ham penalty vs Manchester United

Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett has described the decision to award West Ham a penalty against Manchester United as "one the worst" he has ever seen.

With just seconds remaining of normal time at the London Stadium on Sunday, West Ham were awarded a penalty in controversial circumstances by referee David Coote.

Coote did not award the spot kick but he was advised to check the VAR monitor after a collision between Matthijs de Ligt and Danny Ings and a penalty was given.

Jarrod Bowen converted the penalty, which condemned United to a fourth defeat in nine league matches. Pundits have slammed Michael Oliver's recommendation to review the incident from Stockley Park and former referee Hackett was also scathing in his assessment of the decision.

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Hackett enjoyed a distinguished career as a referee before his retirement in 1994 and still provides analysis on big decisions in the top-flight in his column with The Telegraph.

"Crikey me, this is horrendous. The decision to give West Ham a penalty that they won the game from – and could cost Erik ten Hag his job – is one of the worst I have ever seen," Hackett wrote.

"I cannot see how Matthijs de Ligt was adjudged to have fouled Danny Ings. I am struggling to even put this into words. It is bizarre – I am stunned. Actually, it is worse than bizarre. A park referee would not even give this as a penalty. Ten Hag has every right to be furious.

"It is not a clear and obvious error for David Coote to give no penalty. What on earth has Michael Oliver even seen, as the VAR? It goes back to what I have spoken about in the past, about referees and hierarchy.

"Everyone says Oliver is the No 1 referee in the country, and Coote is probably eight, nine or 10 in the list. I am not saying he is subservient, that would be the wrong choice of words, but is Coote essentially just taking Oliver’s word for it? Is he working on a preconceived idea that Oliver must be right all the time?

"The Premier League released a statement that said: 'The referee did not award a penalty to West Ham for a challenge by De Ligt on Ings. The VAR deemed there was sufficient contact on Ings’s lower leg and recommended an on-field review. The referee overturned his original decision and awarded a penalty.'

"There seems to be no explanation about the thought process that has gone into this."

Speaking after the game, West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui said he was "sure" it was the right decision to give his side a penalty, despite having not watched a replay of the incident.

"I didn't see it. The players say it's a penalty and the referee says it is a penalty so I am sure they are right," Lopetegui said. "But I haven't seen it. I prefer to highlight that after they scored we keep the energy and positive momentum to win the match. I prefer to keep that energy."

Erik ten Hag was angry in his post-match interview with the BBC and said: "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.

"More frustrations but I can do nothing with that. They don't collect points and that's what we have to do. We have to look in the mirror, we don't score in a good game from our side. Create loads of chances and concede none but when you lose in this way it's a bad feeling.

"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."