Manchester United’s ongoing frustrations with officiating standards have reportedly escalated further, with fresh developments emerging after another official communication from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
According to reports, FIFA has now intervened, prompting renewed scrutiny of several contentious decisions involving United, including disputed penalty incidents and a controversial red-card situation involving Antoine Semenyo.
The Red Devils are said to be pushing strongly for direct talks with PGMOL chief Howard Webb, following what they view as a consistent pattern of refereeing mistakes that have negatively affected their results this season.
As reported by Mail Online, senior figures at Old Trafford have grown increasingly exasperated by decisions they believe have cost the club valuable points in an already fiercely competitive Premier League table.
Sources suggest that United’s coaching staff, including head coach Ruben Amorim, are not directly involved in initiating the proposed discussions.
Instead, responsibility has reportedly been taken up by club executives, who feel compelled to seek clarity and accountability from refereeing authorities.
Their concern is not limited to a single match but reflects a broader accumulation of incidents that, in their view, demonstrate recurring shortcomings in officiating consistency.
PGMOL have allegedly acknowledged that several decisions in United matches this season were incorrect.
One such incident occurred during United’s draw with West Ham, where the club believes former player Aaron Wan-Bissaka should have been shown a second yellow card for a late sliding challenge on Patrick Dorgu.
United officials reportedly felt that failure to issue the booking significantly altered the course of the match.
Another flashpoint came in United’s 4–1 victory over Wolves, where Emmanuel Agbadou was accused of handling the ball inside the penalty area.
To United’s astonishment, the incident was not reviewed by VAR, further fueling their belief that standards are being inconsistently applied.
The club’s anger has been building for months. Earlier in the season, United were left deeply dissatisfied following a 3–1 defeat to Brentford in west London.
On that occasion, Nathan Collins was involved in multiple controversial moments. United felt the defender should have been sent off for fouling Bryan Mbeumo, both for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity and for pulling him back inside the penalty area.
Although Bruno Fernandes was awarded a penalty, it was saved by goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, allowing Collins to escape punishment on two fronts.
Following that match, United formally wrote to PGMOL seeking an explanation. Chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox received a response from Howard Webb, who reportedly admitted that both referee Craig Pawson and the VAR officials had made an error in their handling of the situation.
The renewed push for talks comes amid broader pressure on PGMOL from Premier League stakeholders. League managers and executives have been calling for changes to the way VAR is implemented.
League Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan has revealed that Premier League leaders want refereeing teams to be structured differently, including pairing referees with specific VAR assistants to improve chemistry and decision-making consistency.
United believe that without meaningful reform and clearer accountability, similar issues will continue to arise.
With every league position carrying significant financial implications, the club feels compelled to act, viewing this moment as a tipping point in their relationship with officiating authorities.
