Fulham Boss Marco Silva Erupts Over VAR Controversy in Manchester United Defeat
Fulham manager Marco Silva unleashed a furious tirade against match officials following his side's dramatic 3-2 Premier League loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. The Portuguese coach was left incensed by a pivotal VAR intervention that he labelled "horrendous" and a "big, big mistake," which preceded United's opening goal in a match packed with late drama.
Late Drama Sees United Snatch Victory in Injury Time
In a gripping encounter that swung dramatically in the closing stages, Benjamin Sesko became Manchester United's hero with an injury-time winner just moments after Fulham had completed what appeared to be a remarkable comeback. The visitors had fought back from 2-0 down through Raul Jimenez's 88th-minute penalty and Kevin's stunning 91st-minute equaliser, only for Sesko to twist and fire home Bruno Fernandes' pass almost immediately to secure all three points for Michael Carrick's side.
The victory maintained United's perfect record under their interim manager, but the post-match narrative was dominated by Silva's explosive reaction to the officiating, particularly surrounding the game's opening goal.
VAR Intervention Sparks Managerial Fury
The controversy centred on referee John Brooks' decision-making process in the 24th minute. Initially, Brooks pointed to the penalty spot after Jorge Cuenca's challenge on Matheus Cunha inside the area. However, following a VAR review that showed Cuenca had made contact with the ball, Brooks astonishingly changed his decision to award a free-kick just outside the box for an earlier shirt-pull offence that hadn't been the original reason for the penalty award.
From the resulting set-piece, Bruno Fernandes delivered a perfect cross that Casemiro powered past Bernd Leno with a commanding header to give United the lead. Silva's immediate protests earned him a yellow card, but his anger only intensified after the final whistle.
"The story of the game started with a horrendous, terrible decision from John Brooks with the penalty he gave," Silva raged to Sky Sports. "Horrendous decision from that moment, big, big mistake. It was the first time we saw all the Premier League fans and us coaches and players. We have to take all this frustration to win the next one."
The Fulham manager elaborated on his frustration with the VAR process, suggesting officials had retrospectively invented a different foul to justify their decision-making. "The penalty was given by the tackle. After, because the decision was so bad, they found a different foul," Silva claimed. "I know why the penalty was given. VAR went in a completely different direction to find something to find a free-kick that was not the reason why the penalty was given."
Further VAR Controversy Compounds Fulham Frustration
The technology intervened again in the second half, this time ruling out what would have been a crucial Cuenca goal that would have reduced United's lead to 2-1. The Fulham defender had scored following two deflected shots, but the effort was chalked off after a VAR check found Samuel Chukwueze to have been marginally offside in the build-up.
Fulham did receive one decision in their favour when Harry Maguire's clumsy challenge on Jimenez resulted in a penalty that the Mexican striker converted calmly to begin their comeback. However, this consolation did little to temper Silva's post-match fury, with the manager revealing he had deliberately avoided speaking to Brooks after the match to avoid further disciplinary action.
"I don't want to get more cards because I want to be on the touchline. I don't want to speak more," Silva stated when asked if he had confronted the referee, highlighting the simmering tension between managers and officials in the Premier League's VAR era.
The defeat leaves Fulham reflecting on what might have been, while Manchester United continue their resurgence under Carrick's temporary stewardship. However, the lingering questions about VAR's consistency and application, amplified by Silva's passionate critique, will undoubtedly fuel the ongoing debate about technology's role in the modern game long after this particular match has concluded.
