WEST HAM NORWICH FARKE BARK
Dan cries ‘foul’ at the Hammers
DANIEL FARKE was furious with referee Paul Tierney and VAR after Hammers Sebastien Haller and Andriy Yarmolenko condemned Norwich to their third defeat in four matches.
Haller was guilty of a nasty challenge on Canaries captain Christoph Zimmermann shortly before his goal but escaped punishment.
Farke ( right) also accused Yarmolenko of elbowing Tom Trybull , which also went unpunished, and the Ukrainian rubbed it in by going on to fire West Ham’s second goal.
Farke said: “I’m a big friend of VAR but this game is the perfect example that VAR doesn’t always work out and it doesn’t make football 100 per cent fair.
“We will speak about a few individual mistakes in which we could have done better. But I also got the feeling that a few moments we were not responsible for cost us this game.
“We were dominating the first 20 minutes, we were controlling possession and there was just one team playing in one half, just one team creating chances.
“Then an opponent has to set a sign, and I’m not sitting here claiming for something or asking for red cards.
“But one thing is sure, there was a tackle against my centre-half and the ball was three yards away.
“There was no red card, no yellow card, not even a free-kick and the outcome was my centre-back was injured.
“Two minutes later, because we were not able to substitute him, there was a scene when they had a counter and he’s not able to sprint back because he is injured.
“He’s one yard too late to block the cross and the player ■ Sebastien Haller is the fourth player to score three goals in his first three PL games for West Ham, after Trevor Sinclair, Ian Wright and Demba Ba. who was there to tackle him when the ball was three yards away rewards himself by scoring the crucial goal and changes the whole game.
“I don’t think it was a bad intention to injure my player but if you play by the rules you have to judge it by the rules.
“Just play on, not even a freekick… and the outcome is my player is on his way to the hospital and the other player is on the shoulders of his team.
“When my player, my leader, my captain has to go off after such a situation it influences the game.
“There was also an incident in the first half with an elbow and the referee realised this scene and spoke with the player and warned him.
“He even spoke with his captain and warned him but he didn’t react in this situation. Then the player who was involved in this incident scored the second goal.” West Ham controlled the game after £ 45million Haller scored his third of the season, turning home Arthur Masuaku’s cross.
Yarmolenko volleyed home moments after hitting a post with an even sweeter volley, and West Ham were only denied a third late on by Tim Krul’s impressive reaction save from Manuel Lanzini’s header.
Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini said: “It was a very consistent, solid performance.
“Haller is a complete player because he is not just in the box. He works a lot for the team.”