'Ridiculous' Man Utd decision sees Alan Shearer double down after 'another one wrong'

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Alan Shearer has stood firm on his criticism after Nathan Collins escaped a red card during Manchester United's 3-1 defeat to Brentford. The Premier League's all-time top scorer had previously slammed the decision not to dismiss the Bees defender for his role in Saturday afternoon's penalty incident.

Bryan Mbeumo appeared set for a clear sight of goal as he latched onto Matheus Cunha's delivery, but Collins dragged him down, leading to a spot-kick. Despite preventing a clear goalscoring chance, the Irishman only received a booking .

He was let off the hook by Caoimhin Kelleher , who denied Bruno Fernandes from 12 yards. The Premier League Match Centre explained that the 24-year-old centre-back avoided dismissal because it was adjudged that Mbeumo wasn't in control of the ball .

However, the justification from the Stockley Park officials failed to convince the Newcastle United legend, who maintained it was an incorrect call. Shearer expects the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) boss, Howard Webb, to acknowledge the error.

"Well, I'm told that was the match centre, that put that out, that's what the VAR relayed to each other and put that out," he said on the Rest is Football podcast.

"But I'm pretty certain, you will probably, no you will see Howard Webb coming out to say, 'That's another one we got wrong.' There's no way he's going for the ball.

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"He clearly pulls him back, Mbeumo would've put it in the back of the net – it's a ridiculous decision, it's clearly a massive error by the referee and the VAR again."

This came after his assessment on BBC Sport's flagship programme, Match of the Day, where he blasted the officials. Shearer insisted that United had every right to feel hard done by following the blunder.

"So they should [be aggrieved]. Yes, they got the penalty, but what they didn't get, the officials, it should have been a red card as well," said Shearer on the show.

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"They get it right in terms of the referee's call: he gives the penalty for the pull back. But what they didn't get right was the yellow card check for Collins.

"They deemed that Mbeumo wasn't in control of the ball, I mean honestly, it's just a terrible decision. He can't be in control of the ball because someone is pulling him back, he's a yard from the ball, clearly.

"Yes, [Fernandes] had to wait four-and-a-half minutes before getting to that decision, but that's a mistake from him. [Collins] should have been sent off - absolutely no doubt about it."

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