Amorim brands Man Utd, Everton penalty incident ‘clear’, as Premier League issue statement

Steve Pearson 22 Feb 2025 3:22 PM

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim

Ruben Amorim and Rio Ferdinand adopted different views on the penalty incident that engulfed the latter stages of Manchester United vs Everton, while the Premier League offered their version of events.

Man Utd roared back from two goals down to secure a point at Goodison Park. Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure put the hosts two goals up at the break, but Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte with his first goal for United levelled the scores in the second half.

Everton looked set to snatch all three points in injury time when referee Andy Madley adjudged Ashley Young to have been fouled in the Man Utd box. A penalty was awarded, though Madley was advised to take another look at the incident on the pitch-side monitor by VAR.

Replays showed Matthijs De Ligt had pulled Young’s shirt, while Harry Maguire also appeared to have a grab of Young before the Everton veteran theatrically fell to the ground.

Yet despite clear evidence of a shirt pull, Madley reversed his decision, much to the dismay of the Goodison faithful and bemusement of Young and his teammates.

Asked about the incident post-match, Man Utd manager, Ruben Amorim, declared it was “clear” the contact was too “soft” to warrant a penalty being awarded.

“It’s a soft touch from what I saw,” said Amorim. “I don’t like to talk especially when the game is finished [just a few minutes ago], but I think it was a soft penalty, it was clear.”

Working as a pundit for broadcaster TNT Sports, United legend Rio Ferdinand claimed Young went to ground too easily.

However, Ferdinand did admit his surprise at the decision being overturned given the penalty had originally been awarded. Referees are not supposed to overturn their decisions unless there is a clear and obvious error.

“The more and more I see of it the more I look at it and go ‘Ashley Young’s probably made a little bit of a meal of it’,” began Ferdinand.

“I played with Ash, he won’t thank me for saying it. But I think he made more of it than what it was.

“But I do feel there was still minimal contact, there was hands around his waist, you saw his shirt being pulled a little bit. But was it enough force?”

When asked by presenter Lynsey Hipgrave if the incident was a ‘clear and obvious error’ and thus warranted being overturned, Ferdinand admitted: “No, that’s the point.”

#EVEMUN – 90+4’ VAR OVERTURN

VAR checked the referee’s call of penalty to Everton for a challenge by Maguire on Young and deemed that no foul had been committed and recommended an on-field review. The referee overturned the original decision and play restarted with a drop ball.

— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) February 22, 2025

After reviewing the Premier League match centre’s response to the incident, fellow pundit Duncan Ferguson added: “I don’t think it was a clear and obvious error.”

Ferdinand bashes Maguire for first-half mistakes

Beto put Everton one up before Doucoure doubled the home side’s advantage when rising high to nod home from close range.

Onana had bobbled Jack Harrison’s tame attempt straight up in the air, with both he and Harry Maguire – who was easily bypassed in the build-up to Harrison’s chance – beaten to the rebound by the onrushing Doucoure.

“Maguire there, he can’t stand there,” bemoaned Ferdinand when re-watching a clip of Beto racing past the static defender before squaring to Harrison.

“You’ve got to run back towards your own goal, I couldn’t understand that at all.

“Pace isn’t a part of his game but then he gets a second opportunity to go and deal with it [when Onana parried the ball straight up]… doesn’t go and deal with it. But on the halfway line you’ve got to run back.”