Manchester United vs Crystal Palace: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer unhappy with VAR and referee after shock defeat

United manager unhappy with penalty decisions

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took aim at VAR and the officials after Manchester United’s shock 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.

Patrick van Aanholt’s stoppage-time winner earned Palace’s first three points of the new campaign and inflicted United’s first defeat.

Daniel James appeared to have salvaged a point for United as late as the 89th minute, when he cancelled out Jordan Ayew’s opening goal, but Van Aanholt struck later still.

For the second consecutive game, United missed a penalty. Marcus Rashford stepped up ahead of Paul Pogba but was no more successful, with his attempt striking the post.

Solskjaer felt United should have had two further penalties: firstly, when Anthony Martial was pulled to the ground by Martin Kelly in the 54th minute. VAR did not intervene.

The technology did review another potential foul by Kelly on Rashford in the 81st minute but upheld referee Paul Tierney’s decision.

“I think we were unlucky with Martial’s clear and obvious penalty,” Solskjaer said. “It’s a nailed-on one and when the ref sees the game he’ll know he’s not had his best.

“It’s a nailed on pen, he won’t slip if he doesn’t have a 100kg centre back on his shoulders.

“It’s a clear and obvious penalty with Anthony and for Marcus when he runs and gets pulled down a little bit.”

Solskjaer was also unhappy with Tierney’s decision to show James a yellow card for simulation, his second in two games, both for the same offence.

“I’m 100% sure there’s contact between Daniel James and the defender, and now he’s got two yellow cards and he’s been unlucky there. Both yellows were undeserved.

“I raise it here because he’s not that type of player and keeps running and there’s contact, now and the Wolves game.”

But refereeing decisions did not excuse United’s poor performance. “We have to learn quickly,” Solskjaer admitted.

“The last two games, games we should have taken points out of as a neutral, two penalty misses away from sitting there smiling with nine points now.

“Today we had I don’t know how much percentage of possession, first 30 minutes there was no danger, but that’s when you have to be alert.

“David’s not touched the ball and they score again. Sometimes that’ll be the case, teams will come here and defend against us.”