Fulham Manager Fumes Over Controversial VAR Intervention at Old Trafford
Marco Silva has delivered a scathing assessment of a pivotal VAR decision that he believes directly influenced the outcome of Fulham's 3-2 Premier League defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The Fulham boss labelled the officiating sequence as "horrendous" and unprecedented this season, centring his criticism on the process that led to United's opening goal.
The Controversial Sequence That Sparked Outrage
The incident occurred when referee John Brooks initially blew his whistle, appearing to award a penalty to Manchester United following a sliding challenge by Fulham defender Jorge Cuenca on Matheus Cunha. Replays subsequently showed that Cuenca had made clear contact with the ball, which would typically result in play continuing with a corner kick.
However, in what Silva described as an unusual turn of events, Brooks then announced that a free-kick would instead be awarded for an alleged shirt-pull by Cuenca that occurred outside the penalty area. From the resulting set-piece, Bruno Fernandes delivered a cross that Casemiro headed home to give United the lead.
Silva's Blistering Critique of Officiating Consistency
'It was a bad, bad, bad decision by John Brooks,' Silva stated emphatically in his post-match comments. 'It was clear the penalty was given for the foul. After, came a completely different decision. It's the first time this season we've seen that.'
The Portuguese manager expressed his firm belief that the initial penalty decision was made for the sliding tackle, not the shirt-pull, and suggested the timing of the referee's whistle supported his interpretation of events. 'I know why the penalty was given,' Silva insisted, highlighting what he perceived as inconsistency in the application of VAR protocols.
'VAR went in a completely different direction to find something to find a free-kick, but that was not the reason why the penalty was given,' Silva argued, questioning the decision-making process that ultimately led to United's crucial opening goal.
Late Drama Compounds Fulham's Frustration
The controversial decision proved particularly galling for Fulham as they mounted a spirited comeback in the closing stages. The visitors thought they had secured a valuable point when Kevin struck in the 91st minute to level the score at 2-2, only for Benjamin Sesko to fire home a dramatic winner for United just three minutes later.
United manager Michael Carrick acknowledged the significance of Sesko's late intervention, stating: 'It was a huge moment. The reception he got when he came back into the changing-room told us everything. Everyone was so pleased for him.'
Despite the late drama, Silva's post-match focus remained firmly fixed on what he viewed as a fundamentally flawed VAR process that had unfairly influenced the match's outcome, leaving the Fulham camp feeling aggrieved and raising further questions about consistency in Premier League officiating.
