Former Premier League referee Peter Walton explained that the VAR couldn't review Anthony Martial's disallowed goal against Sheffield United because referee Peter Bankes had blown for a foul before the ball crossed the line.
Manchester United fans were left furious after Harry Maguire was adjudged to have fouled Aaron Ramsdale before Martial turned the loose ball into the net.
To make matters worse, the VAR ruled that Billy Sharp did not foul David de Gea in the build-up to Sheffield United's opener, with Kean Bryan heading past the stranded United goalkeeper despite contact on the Spaniard from Sharp.
With both challenges very similar in nature, supporters were left baffled at the inconsistency in officiating, with one challenge penalised whilst the other went unpunished.
Walton has explained why VAR couldn't review the foul by Maguire for Martial 's equaliser, as Bankes had already blown his whistle, preventing the technology from reviewing the decision.
“In the first instance with the Billy Sharp one, the ball ended in the net, the VAR looked at it to see if it was a clear and obvious error, he didn’t feel like it was a clear and obvious error and neither do I, if I’m honest," Walton told BT Sport at half time.
"I don’t think the impact on De Gea was enough there for it to be a foul, however, that’s an opinion. In the second one, when Maguire goes across Ramsdale, he clearly impedes him with his arm going across him.
"However, the referee has blown his whistle before the ball has gone in the net, so VAR couldn’t look at it because the VAR would then be adjudicating on a foul and not a goal.
“Well, we’ve heard many times about the referees and the assistants just delaying their flags and whistles, so the VAR can look at it if the ball ends in the net, and I do think Peter Bankes was a little bit too sharp on his whistle there.”
Rio Ferdinand claimed the VAR should have ruled out Bryan's opener because of Sharp's involvement in the goal.
“Firstly, I think De Gea could do better, but at the same time, I think he was impeded," he explained. "You see Billy Sharp here, he’s got his hands on the back of De Gea, both hands on the back, he moves him out of the way. I think it’s a foul."
