By Milcah Tanimu
In the wake of a contentious penalty incident during the recent Premier League clash between Manchester United and Wolves, a trio of officials, including referee Simon Hooper, VAR Micheal Salisbury, and assistant VAR Richard West, have been excluded from the roster of referees set to oversee this week’s Premier League fixtures.
The controversy unfolded during the match when Manchester United’s goalkeeper, Andre Onana, collided with two Wolves players, Sasa Kalajdzic and Craig Dawson, in the box. Despite fervent protests from the Wolves players, the referee, Salisbury, did not award a penalty. Moreover, the VAR officials did not intervene to review the incident, leading to widespread criticism of their decisions.
The match eventually saw Manchester United securing a victory with a goal by Raphael Varane in the 76th minute. However, the late penalty incident raised significant questions about the officiating process and the role of VAR.
Former Premier League referee, Dermot Gallagher, expressed his strong disapproval of the decisions made by the officials. He argued that the incident was clear-cut and should have led to a penalty being awarded on the field by referee Simon Hooper himself. Gallagher went on to emphasize that given Hooper’s positioning during the incident, he had a clear view of the collision between Onana and the Wolves players, making it a straightforward decision to call a foul.
The incident has ignited discussions about the effectiveness and consistency of VAR in adjudicating crucial moments in matches. The suspension of the involved officials suggests that the league is taking a proactive approach to address the controversy and ensure the highest standards of officiating going forward.
