Overview

• During Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat at Brentford, referee Craig Pawson awarded a penalty and cautioned Nathan Collins for pulling back Bryan Mbeumo, a decision the VAR check upheld.
• Manchester United sought clarification from PGMO and, according to multiple reports, Howard Webb informed the club that the officials erred and Collins should have been sent off.
• The Premier League’s Match Centre stated that VAR confirmed the penalty and determined Mbeumo was not in control of the ball, which supported the on-field yellow card.
• Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey publicly rejected the Match Centre’s reasoning, calling it “absolute nonsense” and describing the incident as a clear denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
• No disciplinary action or changes to the officiating team have been reported in the coverage, keeping scrutiny focused on VAR interpretation and consistency.