Manchester United To Lodge Complaint Over Refereeing Decisions After Bournemouth Draw

Manchester United will submit a formal complaint to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after a contentious 2-2 draw at Bournemouth on Friday left the club fuming over what it views as inconsistent refereeing at the Vitality Stadium.

Director of Football Jason Wilcox is expected to contact referees’ chief Howard Webb seeking clarity on three pivotal penalty incidents that swung the momentum of the match and, according to interim head coach Michael Carrick, ultimately cost United two valuable Premier League points.

The flash-points arrived in quick succession. With United leading 1-0 through Bruno Fernandes’ earlier spot-kick, winger Amad Diallo went down under a two-handed tug from Adrien Truffert inside the area. Referee Stuart Attwell ignored the appeals, only to award Bournemouth a penalty 13 minutes from time when Harry Maguire hauled down Evanilson. Maguire received a straight red card, and Eli Junior Kroupi converted to level at 2-2.

Carrick, overseeing the side in the 2025-26 campaign, labelled the officiating “baffling” in his post-match briefing. “He’s given one penalty for the same thing that he’s not given one as a two-armed grab,” the interim coach said. “Massive moment … if that’s what he believes is a penalty to start with, then the second one has to be.”

Captain Fernandes echoed the frustration, questioning VAR’s passive role. “I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t get involved in that situation,” he said, noting the denial of Diallo’s claim could have put United 2-0 ahead before the hosts’ comeback.

Bournemouth twice erased deficits—Ryan Christie replied to Fernandes’ 61st-minute strike, and Kroupi’s late penalty came after James Hill’s own goal had restored United’s lead—leaving the Red Devils in third place on 59 points, while Bournemouth stay in the bottom half with 42.

United now await PGMOL’s response as they press for what they deem overdue accountability in the application of Video Assistant Referee protocols.