Carrick Questions Penalty Calls After Man Utd Draw at Bournemouth

Michael Carrick questioned the officiating after Manchester United were held to a 2-2 Premier League draw by Bournemouth on Friday, with the United manager focusing on two penalty incidents that shaped the second half at the Vitality Stadium.

Manchester United twice moved in front before Bournemouth responded each time, and the match turned again late on when Harry Maguire was sent off and Junior Kroupi converted from the penalty spot in the 81st minute to make it 2-2.

Carrick’s strongest complaints centred on the contrast between two decisions in the box. Bournemouth were awarded a penalty after Maguire pushed Evanilson to the ground, with the challenge also resulting in a straight red card for denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity. Earlier in the half, United had appealed for a penalty when Amad Diallo went down under a challenge from Adrien Truffert, but no spot-kick was given because the contact was judged insufficient.

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Carrick said the two incidents should have led to the same outcome.

He said: “Disappointed – we created enough chances and had enough opportunities in the game.

“A big opportunity to go 2-0 up, and we get one penalty and not the other. It’s exactly the same thing really – a two-handed grab.

“He’s got one wrong, so I don’t know which one, but he doesn’t give us the second one.”

Carrick went further as he described the inconsistency as decisive in the closing stages of the game.

He said: “I think they’re both penalties, and it’s a massive moment in the game, and it ended up chaos after that. Massive moment and I don’t understand how you can give one and not the other – it’s crazy.

“It’s as obvious as you can get – you’ve already given one so to not give the other one. It’s clear, if that’s what he believes is a penalty to start with, then the second one has to be.

“I don’t understand how you can’t give that.”

The draw also produced an unusual statistical footnote. It was the first Premier League match to feature at least one scored penalty, an own goal and a red card since Fulham against Aston Villa in October 2022.

Manchester United now head into the March international break, followed by an FA Cup weekend, before returning to league action on April 13 against Leeds United at Old Trafford.

Carrick said the gap before the next fixture would not affect his side’s preparation. He said: “It is what it is. It’s not a problem.

“Boys are going away, and it feels a lot because of the international break but we’ll be ready for Leeds when it comes.”