Hasenhuttl Makes Frank Admission After Blades Are Denied Penalty In Narrow Defeat

Hasenhuttl Makes Frank Admission After Blades Are Denied Penalty In Narrow Defeat

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl says his team may have got “lucky” that VAR didn’t intervene and award Sheffield United a penalty.

Referee Lee Mason did not see James Ward-Prowse handle the ball following a corner in the second half, and asked about the incident after the game, Hasenhuttl admitted that they may have got away with one:

“Maybe we were the team that were lucky but I think it should make the game more fair and I think it did that.”

The Blades had already had a goal (rightly) ruled out for offside by VAR, but the lack of consistency when it comes to using the system has frustrated managers, pundits and fans alike.

Ward-Prowse clearly prevented a goalscoring opportunity by his intervention, and it should constitute a clear and obvious mistake by the official, but VAR has been very reluctant to overturn on-field decisions so far this campaign.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder admitted after the game that his side had more than enough chances to get on the scoresheet but the decision to not award a penalty may have cost his team a point.