Micah Richards reacts to West Ham controversy v Manchester United as BBC footage emerges
Micah Richards believes West Ham were lucky to be awarded a penalty before scoring the winner against Manchester United on Sunday (27 October).
The two sides looked to be heading for a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium, with Crysencio Summerville and Casemiro hitting the back of the net, but the Hammers were handed a golden opportunity.
Claims for a penalty were initially waved away by referee David Coote, but after VAR’s intervention and a pitch-side review, Matthijs De Ligt was judged to have fouled Danny Ings before Jarrod Bowen scored to make it 2-1.
Speaking via BBC’s Match of the Day 2 on Sunday (27 October), Richards said: “It’s not a penalty, is it? We see with De Ligt, Ings has sort of jumped into him.
“We talk about this high bar. The referee didn’t give it, now he goes over to the screen, and it puts doubt in his mind. That is not a penalty. I feel sorry for De Ligt there.”
West Ham lucky to be awarded a penalty v Manchester United?
This certainly seems like one of those moments where the Premier League may need to respond, but that will not bother Julen Lopetegui in the slightest.
The Hammers were in desperate need of all three points, and as the captain was expected to do at the London Stadium, he stepped up when it mattered most and fired home the winning goal.
Lopetegui’s side have now risen above the Red Devils in the Premier League table, going level on points after nine games, but there will be several aspects to work on under the new manager.
The game was hanging on a knife-edge after Casemiro’s equaliser, with Manchester United missing multiple chances in the final third, but the Hammers must be praised for taking their chances.
Fans will not be getting too far ahead of themselves, however, having suffered a disappointing defeat after a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town, but it was certainly a must-win for the Irons this weekend.
In other West Ham news, the club could hold high-level internal talks over signing an “extraordinary” star, a transfer to the Irons is “more likely”.
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