On Sunday, Manchester United suffered a humiliating 7-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool in the Premier League. It was a result that sent shockwaves through the footballing world, and left United fans reeling.
However, it could have been even worse for the Red Devils, as a refereeing blunder has since been revealed. According to reports, the referee failed to award United a penalty in the first half, which could have changed the course of the game.
The incident in question occurred in the 33rd minute, when Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk appeared to bring down United forward Marcus Rashford in the penalty area. However, the referee waved away the appeals and play continued.
Had the penalty been awarded, it could have given United a lifeline and a chance to get back into the game. Instead, Liverpool went on to score four more goals in the second half, and the result was a 7-0 thrashing.
The referee’s decision has been widely criticised, with many claiming that it was a clear penalty and that the referee should have awarded it. It is yet another example of how poor officiating can have a huge impact on the outcome of a game.
In this case, it could be argued that Manchester United were fortunate to only lose 7-0, as the penalty could have changed the course of the game. Had it been awarded, the scoreline could have been much closer, and United may have even been able to salvage a point.
It is yet another example of how important it is for referees to get the big decisions right. Had the penalty been awarded, it could have changed the course of the game, and the result could have been very different.
Ultimately, Manchester United were unfortunate to suffer such a heavy defeat, but they were also fortunate that the referee’s blunder did not cost them even more.
