Danny Murphy lashes out at VAR ‘INCOMPETENCE’ as he debunks ‘bizarre’ decision not to award Wolves a penalty in their defeat to Man United after a wild blow from Andre Onana

Expert Danny Murphy has delivered a scathing assessment of VAR’s ‘incompetence’ after Wolves were denied a penalty in their defeat to Manchester United.

United opened the new Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford but were flattered to cheat, with Gary O’Neil’s visitors creating plenty of clear chances.

And the hosts almost paid the ultimate price deep into second-half stoppage time after Andre Onana charged off his line to claim a cross, only to miss the ball entirely.

Instead, the goalkeeper clattered at striker Sasa Kalajdzic, sparking fierce protests from the home side and their supporters before United pulled away.

The incident was checked by VAR, but referee Simon Hooper was advised not to look at his screen. To add to his misery, O’Neil was subsequently booked for his protests.

Onana wildly missed the ball after trying to catch a cross and bumped into Sasa Kalajdzic

Mail Sport columnist Danny Murphy criticized the VAR’s failure to advise a referee’s check

After the game, O’Neil insisted Wolves were unlucky not to have been awarded the penalty – and Murphy has now struck as VAR failed to correct a mistake.

“That’s an absolutely bizarre decision, it’s a penalty,” the Mail Sport columnist told talkSPORT. “And they tell me that the VAR should weed out foolish decisions.

“Sometimes I jump into the moment, but that, even after a minute or two of thinking… it’s hard to believe they can’t see that as something the referee should be looking at.

‘He should take a look at it. He flew out, jumped in the air, missed the ball and knocked it out.’

Murphy then stormed, “How can it not be a penalty?” I can’t understand that it can’t be a penalty.

That’s called incompetence. I try to be positive and open-minded and I try with the officials, but when you see that, you don’t get a clearer punishment than that.

New Wolves boss Gary O’Neil was booked for his protests in his technical room

O’Neil was furious at the decision, with United escaping late in their narrow 1–0 victory

Raphael Varane scored the winner for the hosts, despite Wolves creating several clear chances

“I understand that the referee missed it. Sure, there are a lot of bodies in the box, but that he’s not recommended to look at it is just unbelievable.

“The team in the VAR box should be questioned because that is incompetence of the highest level.”

United secured all three points through a Raphael Varane header, a result that will come as a great relief to Erik ten Hag in light of the shaky performance.

However, the United boss was convinced the decision not to point to the penalty spot was the right one, although he admitted the collision was open to debate.

“After the opponent touched the ball, he dived in, so it was the referees’ judgment and thankfully not a penalty for us,” he told BBC Sport.

“I think you can argue about it, but I don’t think punishment.”