Howard Webb, head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) – the body overseeing Premier League referees – has privately admitted to Manchester United that Brentford defender Nathan Collins’ foul on United striker Anthony Mbeumo during the previous round of the Premier League should have resulted in a "red card plus penalty".
In that match, in the 71st minute, Mbeumo broke into the penalty area and was brought down by Collins with a tackle. The on-field referee only showed a yellow card to Collins and awarded a penalty to Manchester United. After the game, the Premier League officially explained that following a VAR review, it was determined that Mbeumo did not have full control of the ball at the time, so the original decision was upheld.
Notably, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes later missed the penalty. In the end, the team lost 1-3 to Brentford away from home.
It is understood that Manchester United’s management subsequently communicated with Webb, questioning why the opposing player was not sent off on the grounds of "denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO)". Although the Premier League initially insisted on the "no full control of the ball" ruling, after persistent negotiations between the club’s CEO Omar Berrada and Director of Football Willcox, Webb finally admitted that there was an error in the decision.
A source revealed that to minimize the public opinion pressure on the team and head coach Rúben Amorim caused by this incident, Manchester United chose to handle the matter in a low-key manner, refraining from making a public statement and instead seeking a resolution behind the scenes. The club also expressed appreciation for Webb’s candor in having the courage to admit his mistake.
