Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish was left seething at the lack of VAR intervention during Thursday night’s Premier League clash against Manchester United.
The Eagles were denied a spot-kick shortly before half-time when Victor Lindelof appeared to bring Wilfried Zaha down in the area at Selhurst Park, with referee Graham Scott failing to award the penalty.
The incident was reviewed by VAR official Simon Hooper at Stockley Park, who adjudged Lindelof to have got the slightest touch on the ball before catching the Palace forward.
Parish later rued the decision on social media, writing: “Is the VAR broken ? Serious question … ”
VAR was also required when Jordan Ayew slid in Zaha’s cross with 55 minutes on the clock, with the goal ruled out as the forward was adjudged to be marginally offside.
And manager Roy Hodgson felt the technology got two big decisions wrong in the match.
“Certainly we are not fortunate at the moment. The Gods of fortune are not smiling on us with certain decisions,” Hodgson said.
“We have won games and got good results against top teams like Man United playing a lot worse than we did tonight.”
In the match, Marcus Rashford opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time and also produced a wonderful piece of skill to help Anthony Martial wrap up a 2-1 win for the Red Devils.
It ensured United moved back level on points with fourth-placed Leicester, who were able to get the better of Sheffield United earlier in the day.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “It had to be better than the first half and they showed it, especially after the drinks break.
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“The last 20 to 25 minutes we played some controlled stuff, but today was about getting three points again. We are at that stage of the season where you don’t get extra points for how it looks.”
Rashford scored in a second consecutive game following his effort at home to Southampton on Monday and was a constant threat at Selhurst Park.
He managed to dribble away from three Palace opponents in the 78th minute before laying the ball into the path of Martial, who struck into the bottom corner for his 22nd goal of the campaign.
“Marcus is just enjoying himself and his football,” Solskjaer added.
