ESPN expert Dale Johnson has revealed that Manchester United didn’t get a penalty for Gabriel’s tussle with Rasmus Hojlund because the pair were both holding each other, and it wasn’t deemed enough to overturn the on-field decision.
United fell to a late 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon thanks to a late winner from Declan Rice, but Erik ten Hag took aim at the officials after the game, believing that they had got three key decisions wrong.
“I thought we played a very good game but everything went against us – then you don’t win the game”, the United boss explained.
“We needed a little bit more luck to win the game. It was not offside [for Alejandro Garnacho’s goal]. It was the wrong angle.
“It was then a penalty on [Rasmus] Hojlund and then we concede a goal that’s a foul on Jonny Evans.”
“It’s so clear and obvious”, he concluded his angry rant with.
A closer look at the Rasmus Hojlund penalty claim 🔍 pic.twitter.com/iHktkvyEQg
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 4, 2023
‘While Gabriel did put his arm across Højlund, the Manchester United striker was also holding onto his opponent, too’, they explained.
‘If this had been given by the referee it’s one thing, but there was nowhere near enough in it for the VAR to become involved.’
Meanwhile, Kai Havertz’s penalty was overturned earlier in the game by VAR after it emerged that Anthony Taylor’s explanation for what he though had happened had in fact not, allowing him to look at a replay and come to his own decision.
As for the added angle that Ten Hag swore would show Alejandro Garnacho onside for the late winner, it is added that this appears to show the winger offside too.
