Bournemouth v Man United LIVE: Fernandes fumes at ‘baffling’ penalty decisions after Premier League drama | OneFootball

Bruno Fernandes speaks with referee Stuart Atwell after Harry Maguire is sent off (REUTERS)

Bournemouth twice came from behind to draw 2-2 in an entertaining Premier League tussle with Manchester United, with both sides having chances in a goalless first half before an electric second that was dominated by controversial VAR decisions.

Bruno Fernandes slotted home a 61st minute spot-kick after Alex Jimenez fouled Matheus Cunha in the box, and United thought they had another penalty just six minutes later as Adrien Truffert knocked down Amad Diallo. They were too busy protesting to cover Bournemouth’s counter and Ryan Christie produced a lightning-quick equaliser.

After the visitors retook the lead through a James Hill own goal, the momentum again swung the other way as Harry Maguire’s dream day - having received an England recall earlier on - turned into a nightmare. The veteran pushed Evanilson in the box and he was handed a straight red, with Eli Junior Kroupi converting.

But the penalty decisions were the big talking point. “One is rewarded as a penalty, the other one not,” fumed Fernandes, while Carrick called the decisions “baffling” and “astonishing”. Follow all of the latest from the Premier League clash with our live blog below:

Michael Carrick agrees with his captain Bruno Fernandes on penalty decisions

“He’s definitely got one of them wrong because he’s given one penalty for us for the same thing that he’s not given one,” Carrick said.

“There’s a two-arm grab. The Matheus one he gives, the second one on Amad he doesn’t, which I think is almost identical, really.

“If you have two hands on someone in the box and they go over and they’re in control of the ball, for me it’s two penalties.

“It will be interesting to see which one they acknowledge is wrong: the one we got or the one we didn’t get.”

Fernandes on penalty decisions: 'Either one is a penalty and so is the other or none of them are'

Referee Stuart Atwell looked at an incident in the second half when Amad Diallo went down under contact by Adrien Truffert in the box, but determined it was not worthy of a penalty.

VAR agreed with the on-field decision but Atwell later gave Bournemouth a penalty for a similar-looking challenge, with Harry Maguire seeing a straight red for pushing Evanilson in the penalty area with the latter through on goal, and conceding a spot-kick, which Eli Junior Kroupi duly converted.

Fernandes said afterwards: “I think we could have gone 2-0 up, and then we ended up conceding a goal, not getting a penalty and then we get a penalty against, where more or less it's the same situation as Amad.

“One is rewarded as a penalty, the other one not. I know it's difficult for the referee to give two penalties to the same team in one game but I don't understand why VAR doesn't get involved in that situation or with Harry [Maguire] because either one is a penalty and so is the other or none of them are.”

Bourmemouth boss Andoni Iraola satisfied with refereeing decisions

Andoni Iraola, who referenced another potential penalty incident involving Maguire and Evanilson in the first half, was satisfied with the officiating.

“I think there are four incidents,” he said. “I think the two penalties they’ve called are clear penalties. The defenders in both situations, they lose their positions and they have to commit the foul.

“The Amad (possible) penalty, I don’t think it’s a penalty, there is no contact low.

“We complained also about the first half two hands behind the back, Maguire against Evanilson, but I don’t think it’s enough also in the same way to call a penalty.

“I think the decisions in the four cases have been correct. At least in the big decisions, I think they’ve got it right.”

Michael Carrick: 'We'll take the point and move on'

Carrick was also full of praise for his side, especially after going down to 10.

“Disappointed with not winning the game after being up but under the circumstances with 10 men for what ended up being some sort of added time that we've not seen in a while, they decided to bring that one back, we managed that really well again and were really comfortable in managing that in the way we did it. So I was pleased with the way the boys finished the game.

“It's easy to let the game slip away. They kept their heads and took the point, which in the end we'll take the point and move on. Just the decision for the penalty, I don't understand how you can be one and the other and give one and not. Mental.”

'That's what VAR was for' - Michael Carrick

On the similarities between the penalty shouts, Carrick continues: “Where do you start, really? Listen, maybe he's passed Harry [Maguire] and that's the right decision and he's given that. I haven't got too much of a problem, I haven’t seen it back to be totally honest, but I think if he's passed him and he's in on goal, I can understand that decision, so I'm not going we deserve everything. But it shouldn’t have happened because we should've had another penalty and the game would've been totally different and then it ended up in chaos after that. It is what it is.”

These moments “absolutely massive,” he adds. “That's what VAR was for. Clean it up and consistency. Surely whatever they think, if one's been given there's enough people to decide that it's the same as the first. It's two different decisions, so a bit baffling really.”