United was cheated? Gary Neville moots “Shamefu” claim over West Ham spot kick revealing a secret call that made refree Coote to overturn original decision.
The former Manchester United title-winner, often one of the club’s sharpest critics, came to their defense after Matthijs de Ligt was penalized in the 90th minute for fouling Danny Ings.
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen converted the penalty, sparking celebrations at the London Stadium and increasing the pressure on Erik ten Hag. United’s manager and players were left incensed when referee David Coote awarded the penalty following a lengthy VAR review.
Veteran referee Michael Oliver, who served as the VAR assistant, urged Coote to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, resulting in the penalty call that led to United’s fourth Premier League defeat of the season.
Gary Neville, speaking on his podcast, expressed outrage over the decision, saying it left him “screaming at the TV” as United suffered yet another blow on their trip to the capital.
“It wasn’t right, that one,” Neville said. “Every team gets a bad call, but that wasn’t right. Coote must have watched it eight times on the monitor. I’m yelling, ‘he doesn’t think it’s a penalty,’ then he overturns his decision.”
“I think the pressure from being sent over by Michael Oliver, a strong referee, played a role—nobody wants to challenge their superiors. I doubt Coote thought it was a penalty; it was a shock,” added Neville.
After the loss, United dropped to 14th in the standings, raising further questions about Ten Hag’s position. Former Barcelona manager Xavi has reportedly been considered as a potential replacement for the Dutchman, along with other candidates.
Ten Hag has previously defended his role, highlighting a good relationship with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS-led team, who are focused on restoring United to title contention.