In Sunday's Manchester derby, a controversial penalty decision in favour of Manchester City turned the tide of the game, leading to a 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender and current Sky Sports pundit, has given his verdict on the incident.
Erik ten Hag’s side started the game on a strong note, but the award of the penalty to Man City seemingly shifted the momentum in favour of the visitors. Rasmus Hojlund was accused of pulling back Rodri in the penalty box. After a lengthy VAR review, the decision was given, and Erling Haaland successfully converted the penalty, rolling the ball past Andre Onana.
Following this, City dominated the majority of the game, ending United’s three-game winning run with a comfortable victory at Old Trafford.
Carragher's take on the penalty decision
Carragher expressed his doubts over the decision to award Man City the penalty. He believes that the decision was questionable and played a significant role in setting City on the path to victory.
Speaking on Sky Sports at half time, Jamie Carragher said:
"It was certainly a harsh one.
"You see that so often during games and I am surprised that they gave it."
The Red Devils, according to Carragher, looked rather limp following the award of the penalty and never seemed like making a comeback in the game.
The impact on Manchester United
The penalty decision not only angered Manchester United supporters but also killed any momentum the side had in the first half. This incident follows a recurring theme throughout the season of decisions going against the Red Devils.
Man Utd fans have been questioning why a similar incident wasn't awarded for the Erik ten Hag's side against Arsenal. In that game, Hojlund was wrestled to the ground by Arsenal defender Gabriel, but no penalty was awarded. This has led to calls for a review of VAR decisions.
United may rue their luck, but the reality is that the Red Devils did not do enough in the game to avoid the defeat. Despite the controversial penalty decision, the team's overall performance was not up to the mark, leading to a rather embarrassing defeat.
While the penalty decision was a significant turning point in the game, it is clear that Manchester United needs to focus on improving their overall performance to avoid such defeats in the future.
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