Fulham boss Marco Silva claimed a lack of consistency in the application of the rules cost his side a win against Manchester United this afternoon.
The Cottagers earned a share of the spoils thanks to substitute Emile Smith Rowe’s equaliser but Silva was furious that two key decisions went against Fulham.
First, that United were awarded a first-half penalty – subsequently missed by Bruno Fernandes, who blazed his spot-kick over the bar – and, secondly, that the visitors’ goal was allowed to stand despite an obvious push in the back of Calvin Bassey by United defender Leny Yoro. Yoro took advantage by getting a glancing blow on Bryan Mbeumo’s corner with the ball crashing into the net off the back of Rodrigo Muniz.
Silva could not understand why Fulham had been punished by the concession of a penalty with Bassey grappling with Mason Mount at the same time as Luke Shaw wrestled with Muniz.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I would like to explain everything about the VAR decisions this afternoon but I can’t. I can’t because they were different in many different ways. They were unbelievable seeing two fouls at the same time, Shaw on Rodrigo and Bassey on Mount, both fouls, and they saw that Bassey foul was half of a half second before the Shaw foul on Muniz.”
Fulham boss Silva demands consistency
Premier League referees have been ordered to clamp down on holding in the box at set-pieces this season which made the fact VAR did not rule out United’s opener even more perplexing.
Silva added: “Then the second one [the United goal]. I think what I saw is what everyone saw in the stadium, everyone around the world saw it. 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. I would like those types of decisions to always be the same. Simple as that.”
Bassey also confused
Bassey was also bemused that one challenge was given as a foul and the other not.
On his tangle with Mount, the centre-half said: “Of course, looking back maybe a bit too much force. One of those ones I have got to protect myself and get in a position to attack the ball.
“You have seen them given, and you have seen them not.
“When you look at everything back in slo-mo, it is always going to be a foul.
“The ref has to take into consideration the difference in strength. If someone is my size, it doesn’t look as bad.”
Of the Muniz own goal, he said: “For me, it is clear and obvious. He has got two hands in the back and he [Yoro] has created an advantage for himself.
“If there is no contact, I get up there and fight with him. He has clearly stopped me from getting to the ball.
“For me, it should clearly be a foul.”
Silva – our mentality was top
Despite his anger, Silva was happy with his side’s display with Fulham recording back-to-back 1-1 draws to start the season after last weekend’s stalemate at Brighton.
“Man Utd started better than us,” admitted the Portuguese. “The first 20 minutes they were better, we lost most of the 50-50 duels and when you lose duels you arrive to situations late. They had the capacity to start creating problems.
“We took a lot of time to adjust to things in terms of reacting and taking the right decisions on the ball and we let them press the way that they like. After that we started to settle a bit into our game and we started to find our three midfielders and to create a superiority in there and from there the game was more balanced.
“In the second half we were better, even when they scored it was in our best moment in the game. Our reaction and composure and mentality from the boys was top.
“The players that came into the game in the second half made a massive impact. After the 1-1 we were more on the front foot and they only arrived in our box on set pieces. Nothing more. We created well, arrived in dangerous areas and we needed to be more clinical and ruthless.”
