Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher insists Vlad Coufal should not have been sent off against Arsenal in midweek.
The Czech Republic international was handed a yellow card earlier in the game for an apparent flailing arm that made contact with Gunners left-back Kieran Tierney.
The second yellow, though, came about in far more controversial circumstances as he slid in to win the ball from Alexandre Lacazette in the penalty area.
Replays showed that he did win the ball but Anthony Taylor, the referee, pointed to the penalty spot and VAR did not overturn the decision.
And that raises the question about where the Hammers may stand in the penalty stakes going into the enforced COVID break.
The Irons would have played Norwich on Saturday but that game has been suspended due to a rise in cases, and it’s worth noting that the majority of the club’s Premier League rivals have been given dodgy penalties recently, instead of the Hammers!
Chelsea won a penalty late on against Leeds, Manchester City beat Wolves with a controversial spot-kick and Manchester United did the same against Norwich.
Must be nice for them!
Quite simply, it does look a bit odd, and we have to hope that it changes soon.
People are starting to question more and more -quite rightly-penalty decisions given -or not given against certain clubs. Been coming for a long while.
We seem to be cursed with controversial decisions that tend to go against us.,
Am I right to say that it was confirmed that against Brighton officials stated after the game that there was no offside and then at Burnley a penalty not given when we have seen so called top six clubs receive them and of course the arsenal debacle that was condemned by all areas of football.
Basically and not including the arsenal game 4 points lost to very poor officiating that will impact by the seasons end.
Conspiracy of refs and paymasters or just bad luck or maybe our refs have issues of being cowed by the so called larger teams to maintain their livelihoods in the top flight
If I’m wrong , fine , but thers something there to think about.
It spoke volumes when in one weekend both Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea all were awarded penalties in ‘sticky’ games. You just don’t see it for Brighton, Newcastle, West Ham for example all in one weekend .