Manchester United fans have accused the Premier League of spreading “misinformation” after a refereeing explanation over Nathan Collins’ challenge in the Brentford defeat was flagged by X’s community notes, sparking fresh outrage over VAR decisions.
Manchester United supporters have clashed with the Premier League on social media after officials defended the controversial decision not to send off Brentford’s Nathan Collins during the Red Devils’ 3-1 defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium last month.
The fallout intensified when the Premier League’s Match Centre explanation was flagged with a ‘community note’ on X (formerly Twitter), marking it as “permeating misinformation” — a rare public embarrassment for refereeing chiefs.
PGMOL concede error privately
According to reports, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have admitted behind closed doors that referee Craig Pawson and VAR were wrong not to dismiss Collins. The Republic of Ireland defender dragged back former Wolves teammate Bryan Mbeumo in the penalty area as he attempted to meet Matheus Cunha’s cross.
Instead of seeing red, Collins was only booked. United captain Bruno Fernandes then failed to convert the resulting penalty, compounding the frustration. While the PGMOL’s official explanation argued Mbeumo “was not in control of the ball,” they have since conceded privately that Collins should have walked.
Social media storm and ‘community note’ row
United fans wasted no time in taking aim at the Premier League’s digital channels. The Match Centre post justifying the decision was swiftly community-noted, the X platform’s way of challenging misleading claims. The referees’ body hit back, insisting their statement was “a fact-based explanation,” while acknowledging that whether the call was correct was “a separate judgement.”
This unusual public fact-check only fuelled further anger, highlighting the growing mistrust between fans and refereeing officials in the VAR era.
The rules and the reality
The “double jeopardy” law states that when a player concedes a penalty while making an attempt to play the ball, a red card is not mandatory unless an obvious goalscoring chance is denied through actions with no intent to play the ball. Collins’ pull on Mbeumo arguably met that threshold — but officials saw it differently.
Pundits, however, were in little doubt. Alan Shearer told Match of the Day:
Yes, they got the penalty, but they should have had the red card as well. He’s a yard from the ball, he can’t get to it because he’s being pulled back. It’s a terrible decision. Collins should have been sent off — absolutely no doubt.
Fallout for Man Utd and Amorim
The decision proved pivotal in the game. Had Brentford been reduced to 10 men, United’s chances of turning the game around would have improved significantly. Instead, Ruben Amorim’s side slumped to yet another defeat, leaving them languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
The Portuguese coach is under mounting pressure at Old Trafford, with United now preparing for a crucial run of fixtures. A derby clash with Sunderland awaits next, before daunting trips to Anfield and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
For fans, the damage is already done. With refereeing controversies piling up despite the use of VAR, trust in decision-making remains at an all-time low — and United supporters believe they are paying the price.
