Online Reporter
FORMER Premier League whistler Mark Halsey has branded VAR “embarrassing” following Everton’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United.
The Toffees were denied a last-gasp penalty after a controversial VAR intervention on Saturday afternoon.
Ashley Young went down in the box following a shirt pull from Matthijs De Ligt, with referee Andy Madley initially pointing to the spot.
VAR Matt Donohue recommended Madley review his decision – before the WRONG footage was shown on the pitchside monitor.
Former Prem ref Halsey told SunSport: “The decision to overturn a penalty awarded to Everton near the end of their 2-2 draw with Manchester United was clearly wrong.
“VAR Matt Donohue should NOT have got involved because referee Andy Madley’s on-field call was in no way a clear and obvious error.
“Ashley Young’s shirt was pulled – and when an opponent does that in the penalty area he is asking for trouble.
“When Madley went to the monitor on the advice of VAR he was then shown the wrong footage.
“The Premier League Match Centre posted on social media that Harry Maguire’s challenge on Young had been checked and that no foul had been committed.
“But they failed to take into account that Matthijs de Ligt had pulled Young back by the shirt.
“And had Madley been shown footage filmed from behind the goal he would have seen this.
“The incident was embarrassing.”
Everton led 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals by Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
But United fought back after the break and levelled through Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte.
Relieved Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim claimed the decision not to award a penalty was fair.
Amorim said: “No, I think it’s a soft touch, it was not [a penalty] from what I saw.
“I think it was a soft penalty, that was clear. If you start the game without the first half, it was a good point, but we needed the three points.”
But fuming Everton manager David Moyes hit out at the officials after his side were denied back-to-back Premier League wins.
Moyes fumed: “I can’t understand. [De Ligt] pulled his jersey.
“I just thought the referee made the correct decision at the time and he should stick with it.
“I think everybody who watches football, we’re all looking forward to seeing a referee saying ‘No, no I’m sticking with it’.
‘If it’s absolutely clear and obvious that’s what we’ve got VAR for, but I didn’t think it needed to get involved.” —Sun.
