Erik Ten Hag admits Man Utd ‘didn’t deserve more’ at Bournemouth as Andoni Iraola bemoans ref decisions | Football News

Erik Ten Hag admitted Man Utd “didn’t deserve more” than their 2-2 draw at Bournemouth as Andoni Iraola bemoaned refereeing decisions against his side – including two penalty calls.

Man Utd twice came from behind to earn a point at the Vitality Stadium but were second best for much of the contest.

Defensive errors and sloppy play, particularly in the first half, allowed Bournemouth to dominate. But two goals from Bruno Fernandes – the second after a harsh penalty against Adam Smith – saw the visitors take a point back to Manchester.

“We are into the final stage of the season and this is not enough. But the truth is today, we didn’t deserve more,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports after the game.

“In the end, if you allow them so many chances in the first half, as a team you don’t deserve more. You have to take control, don’t give chances and score goals for yourself.

“It’s up to them… In this moment, with all the problems we have, we played to our levels and did very good to our levels.

“But you have to do it throughout the game, right until stoppage-time, and the last four games we dropped points from winning positions. Today, we were in losing positions and fought back.

“But coming into losing positions is totally unnecessary. We lost the ball three times in the areas where we should not lose those balls. They [United’s players] were not always well-organised, especially on the right side where there came some gaps for the opposition to benefit from it. We should have done this better.

“Second half, we took more responsibility and we closed that side… [There were] individual mistakes, we have players who can do better with the ball. On the right side, go with your opponent, that is your job, close it. It’s a small part in it, it’s about collaboration, but the main part is discipline.”

Redknapp praise for Fernandes but Casemiro ‘looks like he’s in Soccer Aid’

Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp on Saturday Night Football:

“Fernandes has got a lot of stick from people and some of it I get. But I also think it’s unfair.

“I see a player that genuinely cares. Sometimes, there is pettiness and calling out his players, but he is the sort of player you’d be looking to build the team around. He’s a player, he makes things happen.

“Where the frustration comes from is that people don’t care as much as he does. It’s like an epidemic at the club. Do people care? Do they do enough? Do they go flying into tackles?

“Fernandes does and sometimes gets himself into situations he shouldn’t. But he cares about the club, the team, he’s got his team back into the game today.

“I don’t see too many others right now showing the appetite he does. I see multiple Champions League winners walking around the pitch sometimes like they don’t care, and you can’t have that.

“I’ve watched Casemiro for years and he’s one of my favourite defensive midfield players in football, I’ve loved watching him play.

“But right now, it looks like he’s in Soccer Aid. He’s playing the game at such a pace where it’s a bit of fun and there’s celebrities coming on – no, this is the Premier League.

“I think to myself ‘what would Rodri do?’ and he’d be flying to help his team-mates. And that’s what he should be doing.

“At the moment, Casemiro is not setting the right examples to the young players around him. It isn’t good enough.”

Iraola: All the refereeing decisions went against us

Bournemouth boss Iraola believes his side deserved all three points from a game they largely dominated – but added refereeing decisions were not kind to them.

He told Sky Sports: “We cannot finish and be happy with the point. You always have to give importance to a point against Man Utd, but I think we were the team who deserved the three points.

“We missed the chances especially in the first half and I think we could have gone in at half-time with a better result, but also in the second half.

“But the reason we didn’t win was because we missed the chances and all the refereeing decisions went against us.”

Christie penalty overturned by VAR

Late in added time, Ryan Christie was fouled by Willy Kambwala, with referee Tony Harrington pointing to the spot. However, a VAR review decided the foul took place outside the area.

Iraola said of the incident: “Completely [a penalty], because if you saw the penalty we conceded against Newcastle, we started pulling two metres outside the box, he goes inside and it’s a penalty.

“If you put it in one frame, he’s probably one centimetre outside the box. But he continues stopping the player one or two metres inside. It’s not just one kick and then boom [it’s a foul]. He goes with Ryan Christie one or two metres inside the box. For me, it’s obvious.”

Sky Sports’ Redknapp added: “I think once Kambwala steps out, it’s almost irrelevant because once you’re holding him, you’re stopping him running into the box and that’s where I thought this wasn’t going to get overturned.

“It’s like a rugby tackle, he uses his arm… he’s just got to run him down the side.

“I was amazed it got overturned. I get that it’s outside the box, but it’s the fact he was travelling into the box which is why I think it should have been given.”

Sky Sports’ Izzy Christensen said: “I thought that [contact outside the box] initially and I stand by that.

“There’s contact, of course there is. Kambwala has had to step and he’s stepped at exactly the right time that it’s not in the box. Six inches deeper and it’s a stonewall penalty. Christie is clever in the way he nicks the ball past Kambwala.

“Because he [Kambwala] is square and Christie runs into him, you have to wonder what he can do, he’s going to hit him as he runs into him.”

Smith penalised for handball

Man Utd equalised for a second time after the break as Smith was penalised for handball. A shot from Kobbie Mainoo hit Christie before deflecting onto Smith.

While Iraola said that “normally they don’t call these kinds of handballs”, both Redknapp and Christensen believed it was a penalty, pointing to Rashford’s positioning.

Christensen said: “The way that it evolved was very unfortunate for Adam Smith – and the way the deflection takes place.

“Marcus Rashford has a key part to play in this because of his position. Rashford is lurking and Smith knows that.

“Smith moves his body towards the ball and his reaction says it all. He knows he’s moved his arms slightly towards the ball as he’s adjusted his body.

“It’s harsh – but for me, it’s a penalty.”

Redknapp added: “It’s a twitch. That’s how things react sometimes. Of course we don’t want to see these given but in the current climate with the way football has moved with handball, I’ve seen a lot worse given.

“You can see there’s the slightest movement from Adam to put his right arm out. If Marcus isn’t behind him, he finds his way out, let’s the ball run across his body and clips it up the line.

“It felt like a slight panic and slight movement and that’s all it took. It was never going to be overturned.”