Howard Webb is currently in the spotlight in the wake of Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Manchester City on Saturday. The Red Devils were able to overcome their fierce rivals but the match wasn’t without controversy, with Pep Guardiola aggrieved at the decision to let Bruno Fernandes’ goal stand. Marcus Rashford was near his team-mate as the ball was struck, having been offside, but Erik ten Hag’s team got the decision their way.
Guardiola was livid at the decision to award Fernandes’ goal. While Rashford didn’t touch the ball, his speed and movement acted as a decoy for City defender Manuel Akanji.
After the game, the Spaniard said ‘we know where we play’ – clearly suggesting United get the benefit of the doubt whenever they’re playing on home soil.
Webb was recently appointed as the first chief refereeing officer of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), with VAR one of his main focuses.
The former referee’s name trended on Twitter over the weekend, with the 51-year-old accused of having a role in the decision for United’s goal to stand.
Yet Webb has long grown frustrated with allegations of bias and, in his autobiography The Man in the Middle, decided to set the record straight.
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Webb has also previously admitted he regrets giving United a goal in a 5-2 victory over Tottenham back in 2009.
The Red Devils found themselves trailing 2-0 at the break that day following goals from Darren Bent and Luka Modric.
Yet a spot-kick given in the second half changed the game, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting from the penalty spot.
The Portugal international also scored a header, while a brace from Wayne Rooney and strike from Dimitar Berbatov gave them all three points.
And Webb later told The Athletic that he regretted his decision to give United a penalty, with Michael Carrick seemingly diving in the box.
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“It was obvious within seconds I’d got the decision wrong. There was something more to this,” he said.
“I was left with the decision I had taken with no independent evidence that I’d got it wrong other than a gut feeling, and I was just hoping that Ronaldo would miss the penalty, but he didn’t.”
Meanwhile, former footballer Chris Sutton has slammed the decision for Fernandes’ goal to stand against City – and hinted at Old Trafford bias.
“How can you say Marcus Rashford was not interfering?” he wrote for the Daily Mail.
“The original pass was intended for Rashford, who was in an offside position thanks to Manchester City’s high line.
“Had Rashford stopped running and the ball trickled through to Bruno Fernandes regardless, then we could understand why the officials might say he did not interfere with play. But Rashford didn’t do that.
“He kept running. He acted as a screen between the ball and Manuel Akanji. He stopped Akanji from putting the afterburners on to prevent the pass from reaching Fernandes.”
And he added: “Rashford clearly interfered, and it is little wonder why Manchester United have gained a reputation for getting favourable decisions at Old Trafford when these incidents occur.
“The wording of the offside law gives the officials some wiggle room. It’s a grey area which requires interpretation.
“But anyone without a United connection could see that this was offside.”
