Martin Atkinson

He didn’t need to give the pen live. His view was from behind so he let it go to VAR and gave it as per the guidelines.

I can’t believe I’m defending Atkinson but people really need to be more objective.
VAR isn’t to absolve refs of any decision making. It was blatant.
 
He didn’t need to give the pen live. His view was from behind so he let it go to VAR and gave it as per the guidelines.

I can’t believe I’m defending Atkinson but people really need to be more objective.
Prat.
 
I don’t know what the exact wording is but the principle is the same. Make the decision if you are 100% sure, if you’re wrong it will be corrected by VAR. Conversely if you don’t feel 100% sure, don’t call it and if you were wrong VAR will call it back and tell you to review it.

You sure about that?

That's the way offside calls are supposed to work. But for penalties the process is based off the idea of there being a clear and obvious error with the referee's initial decision. In which case not calling the penalty becomes as firm a decision as calling it.

VAR can't just make a call on it as they would with offside (which is an objective decision), they can only call him back if he's made a definite mistake. So if he's 70% sure it's a penalty but decides not to give it, the decision can then only be overturned if VAR are 95% sure it is one. The referee can't just say "I'm not sure" and leave it up to VAR, he has to make a call and that call carries heavy weight as the VAR make their decision off his initial one. So he should just be making the call he thinks is correct, not letting it slide if he thinks it's a penalty because VAR will catch it.
 
I don’t know what the exact wording is but the principle is the same. Make the decision if you are 100% sure, if you’re wrong it will be corrected by VAR. Conversely if you don’t feel 100% sure, don’t call it and if you were wrong VAR will call it back and tell you to review it.
No, you are being far too kind to that dirtbag. Atkinson didn't give the pen. He was a coward or completely incapable of viewing a blatant penalty. The fact that VAR overturned it as a clear and obvious mistake says it all - that rarely happens. We all know we cannot count on VAR to overturning refs decisions.
 
No words left for this guy. What he did to Ronaldo earlier in season, then ignoring that pen tonight.
 
If you know Leeds fans, this is exactly how they would referee our games.
 
You sure about that?

That's the way offside calls are supposed to work. But for penalties the process is based off the idea of there being a clear and obvious error with the referee's initial decision. In which case not calling the penalty becomes as firm a decision as calling it.

VAR can't just call him back to review it as they would with an offside (which is an objective decision), they can only call him back if he's made a definite mistake. So if he's 70% sure it's a penalty but decides not to give it, the penalty then can only be overturned if VAR are 95% sure it isn't one. The referee can't just say "I'm not sure" and leave it up to VAR, he has to make a call and that call carries heavy weight. So he should just be making the call he thinks is correct, not letting it slide if he thinks it's a penalty because VAR will catch it.
That's exactly my thoughts with that line of thinking.
 
Could see the heartbreak in his eyes when he knew he had to give the pen.
 
You surely can't be that incompetent if you are a professional referee (let alone working in PL).
 
The amount of crying over a penalty that he actually gave when getting a clear view of the incident:rolleyes:
 
Rubbish referee.

No way he was giving that penalty unless he was forced to.
 
He didn’t need to give the pen live. His view was from behind so he let it go to VAR and gave it as per the guidelines.

I can’t believe I’m defending Atkinson but people really need to be more objective.
It was as blatant as they come in terms of a penalty.

Everyone in the ground could see it was a pen, ridiculous not to give it live.
 
Penalty looked clear as day from the TV angle in real time. Not sure where he was standing, but I suppose if he was directly behind both Smith Rowe and Fred, it might have been difficult to spot who got their foot to the ball first. But if he's at any kind of angle, then it should be clear.
 
Penalty looked clear as day from the TV angle in real time. Not sure where he was standing, but I suppose if he was directly behind both Smith Rowe and Fred, it might have been difficult to spot who got their foot to the ball first. But if he's at any kind of angle, then it should be clear.
Does it matter? He came through the back of him?
 
No it's not, De Gea looked perfectly fine 1 minute after the goal, so it didn't hurt as bad as he simulated it. Hence he tried to act injured so the play would stop, it back-fired for him.
He's also lucky var saved his incompetence blushes for Fred's penalty too.

Absolute joke of a ref.
 
He waved his arms and said "no penalty". It was only when VAR made him go and look he did, he was pretty adamant Fred wasn't fouled.


Which shows he didn't think it was a penalty from his point of view as he probably doesn't have super vision to scan 360 degrees around the area.

When he got the call to look at it he gave it which he doesn't have to do
 
God this guy is a cnut. To be incompetent and not give that pen is one thing, but the smugness in his face and stance when he called off the foul was infuriating.
 
Which shows he didn't think it was a penalty from his point of view as he probably doesn't have super vision to scan 360 degrees around the area.

When he got the call to look at it he gave it which he doesn't have to do
He's the only person in Old Trafford that thought it wasn't a penalty in that case, even the Arsenal fans went silent.
 
The amount of crying over a penalty that he actually gave when getting a clear view of the incident:rolleyes:
He didn't just actually give it though. He said 'no' and VAR told him to have another look.
 
Which shows he didn't think it was a penalty from his point of view as he probably doesn't have super vision to scan 360 degrees around the area.

When he got the call to look at it he gave it which he doesn't have to do

He got the call because it’s a clear and obvious error, which he had a view of, unless he thought Odegaard got the ball through the back of Fred?
 
Maguire just said he blew his whistle before the ball crossed the line, Atkinson even said that to be true. Then the goal was given? Seriously?
 
The absolute smugness on him whenever he denies a penalty claim away. 2 at West Ham, 1 today.

Hope he never referees a game for us.
 
Their first goal was an total farce of course, but what got me was the absolute fecking front on him to wave away the world's most obvious penalty with such dismissal and confidence.

Absolute wanker.
 
the absolute fecking front on him to wave away the world's most obvious penalty with such dismissal and confidence.

Absolute wanker.
That’s what I found a disgrace. Dismissed it instantly, Fred barely hit the ground before he dismissed it :lol:
 
Hes the Ronaldo of shit refs. We complain about the others but this guy has been fecking up at the highest level for years. The poster boy of English refereeing.

Let's see if he is dropped for the next round of games.