Sheffield boss hits out at VAR

Another controversial VAR decision left Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder seething after his side were denied a penalty in their 1-0 home defeat to Southampton.

The Premier League new boys — trailing to a Moussa Djenepo wonder strike — felt they should have had a spot-kick in the 75th minute when James WardProwse appeared to handle a cross with an outstretched arm in the area.

Referee Lee Mason checked with Stockley Park but instead gave a corner to the home side. And Wilder became the latest manager to feel wronged. “It’s a penalty,” he said.

“If you look, there’s two or three of our boys waiting to tap it in. I don’t think they can get it wrong. The hand was out there.”

Last week referees’ chief Mike Riley told a Premier League meeting that the replay system, introduced this season, had already made four incorrect decisions.

And the frustrated Blades boss referenced that meeting while criticising what had happened. “Maybe in four weeks” time someone will come out and say it’s a mistake,” he said. “You expect with all the talk and the debate it’s a pretty easy one to pick up. I don’t know why they had that meeting then, eh?”

He was also not holding his breath for a rational explanation. “We’ll get something back during the week that will make me feel better,” he added. “I don’t think so.”

Victorious Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, had a different view.

“It [VAR] makes the game more fair,” he said. “Maybe we were the team that were lucky but I think it should make the game more fair and I think it did that.”

There was also controversy in Brighton where home striker Neal Maupay felt a red card should have been shown to Burnley’s Ashley Westwood after a challenge late in the 1-1 draw at the Amex.