More late missed penalty drama involving Manchester United
What’s this? A late goal, followed immediately by the other team being given the opportunity to level up from the penalty spot… only for chance to be wasted. Stop me if you you think you’ve heard this one before…
Yes, not even a week on from a frankly ludicrous climax to Manchester United’s win at the London Stadium, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were involved in more late drama at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon – only this time, they ended up on the losing side.
A lacklustre showing from United at home to Aston Villa saw the scores goalless with stoppage tome approaching. Dean Smith’s side had spurned the better chances, too.
Villa got what proved to be the winner as Kortney Hause glanced home a corner in the 88th minute but conceded a penalty within seconds of the restart when the goalscorer was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.
Bruno Fernandes – not Cristiano Ronaldo – spotted the ball down as Villa’s players crowded the penalty area – much to the annoyance of Solskjaer, who later complained about this.
As the United midfielder prepared to take it, Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez was spotted speaking to Ronaldo, appearing to gesture to him that he should take the penalty instead of his countryman.
As always, we can’t show you the footage of the incident, but you’ll get the gist from the images below.
Martinez didn’t manage to force a change, but if putting Fernandes off was his intention – and we’re assuming it was – it worked to perfection. Despite a near flawless penalty record for United, Fernandes blazed his spot-kick high into the Stretford End.
Villa came through the remainder of stoppage time unscathed, subjecting United to a third defeat in 11 days.
Related links:
- Bruno Fernandes’ woeful last-gasp penalty seals shock Man Utd defeat
- David Moyes reveals how Marcelo Bielsa derailed Man Utd title win
- Cristiano Ronaldo was rejected by Diego Simeone before sealing Man Utd return
