Man Utd star Bruno Fernandes demands apology from refs after being denied penalty from Romero ‘handball’ in Spurs loss
MANCHESTER UNITED captain Bruno Fernandes has demanded an APOLOGY from referees after his team were denied a first-half penalty against Tottenham.
United had a number of chances to open the scoring in the first-half but were outclassed in the second as Spurs went on to win 2-0.
One of those fell to the United captain as he headed high and wide from a Luke Shaw cross.
But United were left feeling aggrieved not to have a penalty when Alejandro Garnacho‘s shot was blocked by the arm of Romero in the 26th minute.
The incident was reviewed on VAR but no action was taken as referee Michael Oliver awarded a corner and play continued.
A fuming Fernandes drew comparison with the fall out from United’s 1-0 victory over Wolves last week when referees’ boss Jon Moss apologised to Gary O’Neil for failing to award a penalty to Wolves.
The apology came after Andre Onana clattered into Wolves’ Sasa Kalajdzic in stoppage time but a VAR review concluded it was not a penalty.
Speaking to Sky Sports after yesterday’s defeat, Fernandes said: “Last week they made a big thing on United not having a penalty against them [Wolves],
“I want to see what’s going to happen this week if it’s going to happen the same show they did last week.
“I want to see if Jon Moss also comes to apologise to our dressing room like they said he did to the manager of Wolves.”
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United felt they had a strong claim for a penalty given that the ball struck Romero’s hand when he was leaning back and the defender had both arms in the air.
Manager Erik Ten Hag echoed his captain’s complaints that a penalty should have been given in his post-game interview and said: “We deserved a penalty, I don’t know why [it wasn’t given]. It’s a penalty. Absolutely a penalty. It changes the direction of the ball and he’s blocking, the hand is right above [him].”
Spurs would go on to win the game thanks to a goal from Pape Sarr and an own goal from Lisandro Martinez – leaving United ruing wasting their first-half opportunities and the lack of a penalty being awarded.
Fernandes’ comments lashing out at the coverage of Wolves’ penalty claims come after Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb also contacted Wolves to apologise for a penalty not being awarded for Onana’s challenge.
The officials from Monday night’s fixture were axed for this weekend’s round of English top-flight matches.
United will look to bounce back from yesterday’s defeat in next Saturday’s home fixture against Nottingham Forest.
Meanwhile Spurs will look to build on Ange Postecoglou‘s first victory as Tottenham manager when they go away to Bournemouth in Saturday’s early kick-off.