Danny Murphy stunned by ‘scandalous’ controversy in West Ham United loss v Brentford on Match of the Day 2
Danny Murphy believes the decision to disallow Danny Ings’ goal against Brentford because of a handball by Divin Mubama was “scandalous” during the 2-0 defeat for West Ham United.
David Moyes rested a number of first-team regulars for the Premier League clash due to the club’s European commitments, with Declan Rice, Kurt Zouma and Jarrod Bowen all missing out.
After the Bees took a 2-0 half-time lead, the Hammers thought they had fired their way back into the game through Ings, but Michael Oliver was subsequently sent to the VAR monitor to check the goal.
In the build-up, the ball cannoned off the post and struck the arm of the onrushing Mubama from less than two yards away, which ultimately proved crucial to the goal being chalked off.
“I think if somebody has said it was deliberate, then they’re in the wrong job because nobody can think that’s deliberate, obviously,” Murphy said on Match of the Day 2 [14 May, 49:30].
“I think the only thing you can do with your arms when you’re a yard away from the post that isn’t going to damage your face is put your arms in the air.
“I mean, we talk about the rules, we look at the wording, but logic has got to kick in at times.
“There is no way in the world that that goal should be disallowed for handball. The young lad, Mubama, it is his second game, he doesn’t know that the ball is coming off the post and hitting him on the shoulder or the hand or wherever it does.
“I was surprised because Michael Oliver is one of the best. When he went over, we thought he would see sense, so I’m surprised at him.
“I would expect a decision to David Moyes, whether it be on the qt because that is a scandalous decision.”
Incorrect decision
Moyes vented his anger at the decision after the full-time whistle, and it is hard to disagree with him.
How Oliver came to the decision that Mubama had intentionally handled the ball and believed there was enough evidence to overrule the decision is ridiculous.
From less than two yards away from the post, the only reason the young forward had his hands in the air was to protect himself in case he clattered into the upright. Little did he know that the ball would ricochet off the post and strike his arm as he was trying to protect himself.
Although the game was at 2-0, a goal here would have changed the entire momentum of the match.
With West Ham United still not mathematically out of the woods in terms of relegation, this decision will be a major frustration to Moyes as he turns his attention to the second leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final against AZ Alkmaar.