Ex-PGMOL chief reacts to ‘clear’ penalty controversy in Bournemouth vs Man United
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Credit: Imago Sat 21 March 2026 9:37, UK Keith Hackett is convinced that Manchester United should have been awarded an additional penalty in their 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth.Friday’s Premier League clash saw plenty of action and controversy, with two penalties being awarded, as well as Harry Maguire being sent off. However, the most contentious moment came just before Ryan Christie’s equaliser, when Amad Diallo was brought down inside the Bournemouth box, but no penalty was given.Watching the footage back, Hackett is convinced that the officials got this decision wrong, and VAR should have intervened.Below, Football Insider explores the reaction to the crazy Man United showdown at the Vitality Stadium. ⚽ Man United Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert previews and tactical analysis for every Manchester United fixture.
VISIT THE MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Keith Hackett: Clear holding offence committed on DialloAt the time of the incident, Man United were 1-0 up thanks to a Bruno Fernandes penalty.As a result, if awarded, the Red Devils could have gone 2-0 up, and took control of the match.Match statsBournemouthMan UnitedPossession54.9%45.1%Shots1614Shots on target55xG1.571.77Corners 68Touches in opposition box2327It was an even game between Bournemouth and Man UnitedInstead, the lack of a second penalty allowed Bournemouth to charge forward moments later, with Christie finding the back of the net, which only helped to fuel the anger regarding the decision.Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett was amazed that the penalty was not given.He said: “These are nailed on penalty kicks, and Maguire made no attempt to play the ball and is rightly sent off for DOGSO.“Amazed that the first one was not awarded. These two incidents are clear holding offences.“In today’s game, it’s a penalty!” 🗣️Andy Cole believes Manchester United should have been awarded a penalty against Bournemouth after Amad Diallo clashed with Adrien Truffert 💬 pic.twitter.com/TsvAb7uPht— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 20, 2026 “VAR should have intervened on the first one and awarded Man Utd a penalty kick.”What did the Premier League say about the Man United penalty incident?Hackett has previously revealed to Football Insider that Man United have had some terrible decisions go against them this season.
However, given their Champions League ambitions, this one could prove the most costly.For many, the decision is obvious, with Adrien Truffert clearly pushing Diallo to the ground.#BOUMUN – 67’ The referee’s call of no penalty for a challenge by Truffert was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed the contact was not sufficient for a foul.— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) March 20, 2026 However, while the Premier League has confirmed that the incident was checked and reviewed by VAR, they believed that there was not enough in the challenge to advise the referee to award a spot-kick.The Premier League Match Centre via X stated on 20 March: “The referee’s call of no penalty for a challenge by Truffert was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed the contact was not sufficient for a foul.”As a result, Man United have remained third, four points clear of Aston Villa, and six points clear of Liverpool, with both clubs having a game in hand. Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Man United Insider Access Get the full story from Old Trafford and Carrington with our dedicated expert hubs: Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Old Trafford.