corrupt? Mike Dean’s disturbing interpretation of Manchester United’s penalty

Mike Dean has bizarrely suggested that the encounter between Ruben Dias and Rasmus Hoglund in Sunday’s Manchester derby was not enough to warrant a penalty “in a game like this”.

with united Trailing 1-0, Dias sent Hoglund crashing to the ground after a clumsy challenge inside the box.

Hoglund and his teammates appealed for a penalty, but Anthony Taylor waved away the protests, while VAR also failed to intervene.

The English Premier League Match Center account explained on its website: “The referee’s request not to award a penalty kick due to a challenge between Hoylund and Dias was verified and confirmed by the Video Assistant Referee, considering that it was a natural contact.” X.

Commenting on the live match for Sky Sports, former Manchester United captain Gary Neville believes the Red Devils certainly had a case for a penalty.

“It was clumsy, we know,” Neville said. BBC Sport). It may have been just a meeting but it appears Dias has moved on from the Manchester United striker. I think there’s something about it, his left leg goes through Hoglund’s knee.

Sky cut to studio referee and former Premier League official Mike Dean, who bizarrely claimed the encounter did not require a penalty “in a game like this”.

“I thought it was a normal encounter,” Dean said, adding: “I don’t think that’s enough in a game like this.”

Mike Dean’s comments highlight worrying judging standards

From Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to scandals, Premier League referees have been under enormous pressure in recent years.

Dean’s comments are likely to invite further scrutiny, effectively confirming what many already suggest: that referees officiate certain matches differently than others.

Dean says Dias’ clash with Hoglund is not enough to warrant a penalty “in a game like this” and suggests he would award a penalty in a similar incident in a match between Nottingham Forest and West Ham, for example.

Or would Manchester United have been awarded the penalty had they been playing a lesser opponent, rather than the current Premier League champions, in a match? Derby match?

Certainly all matches should be refereed according to the same standards, with incidents such as fouls in the penalty area considered as objective decisions rather than judged on the scale of a particular match.