PGMOL Boss Webb Admits VAR Mistake against Man United vs Brentford

Howard Webb Confirms ‘Huge Error’ in Man Utd vs. Brentford Decision

The head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), Howard Webb, has privately informed Manchester United that a significant officiating error was made during their recent 3-1 defeat to Brentford.

The mistake concerns the incident where Brentford’s defender Nathan Collins was awarded only a yellow card for fouling Bryan Mbeumo inside the penalty area, despite appearing to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO).  

The Controversial Incident

The key moment occurred with the score at 2-1 to Brentford. Collins hauled down Mbeumo as the attacker was moving toward the goal, resulting in a penalty kick. While the penalty decision itself was correct, the referee issued only a yellow card to Collins. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) checked the decision and upheld the yellow card, with the Premier League’s match centre initially explaining that a red card was not shown because Mbeumo was not deemed to be in control of the ball.  

PGMOL’s Admission and United’s Response

Following the match, Manchester United executives, including Chief Executive Omar Berrada and Technical Director Jason Wilcox, contacted Webb seeking clarification on why Collins was not sent off.  

Webb has since acknowledged the mistake, confirming to the club that Collins should have been dismissed for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. This admission validates the complaints made by pundits, such as Alan Shearer, who had insisted that the initial VAR explanation was flawed. The foul was seen as an obvious DOGSO, and the ruling that Mbeumo was not in control of the ball was widely criticized given that Collins’s foul was actively preventing him from gaining full control.  

Potential Impact on the Match

Manchester United is said to have appreciated Webb’s transparency, though the admission offers little consolation. The outcome of the match, which United lost 3-1, could have been dramatically different had Brentford been reduced to 10 men at that crucial point. The subsequent week of pressure on the team and its management might have also been altered.

The incident is the latest in a series of controversial VAR and refereeing decisions that have drawn intense scrutiny towards PGMOL and Howard Webb this season.