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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Malik Ouzia

David Moyes slams ‘scandalous’ decision to rule out late Maxwel Cornet strike as West Ham suffer frustration

David Moyes was furious with the decision to ruled out Maxwel Cornet’s late strike

(Picture: Action Images via Reuters)

David Moyes has blasted the “scandalous” decision that cost West Ham a London derby draw at Stamford Bridge, and accused Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy of feigning injury in the build-up to Maxwel Cornet’s disallowed goal.

West Ham took the lead at the home of their rivals when Michail Antonio tapped in but goals from Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz saw the Blues turn the game on its head.

However, the Hammers looked to have stolen a deserved point when Maxwel Cornet found the net late on, only for VAR to intervene.

Reece James’ attempted header back to Mendy proved too weak and the ‘keeper was only able to nudge the ball away from the onrushing Jarrod Bowen, leaving the net empty as Cornet fired home.

However, referee Andrew Madley was instructed to consult the pitch side monitor and ruled that Bowen had fouled Mendy amid the chaos.

“You have seen it, it is a scandalous decision, absolutely rotten from one of the supposedly elite referees - it doesn’t say much about whoever sent him over from VAR as well - it is an unbelievable decision against us,” Moyes said.

“We feel we got back to 2-2 and it was not down to anything we have done. I support a lot of the VAR stuff, I actually think the goalkeeper dives, he is faking an injury because he cannot get to the next one - he did the same on the first goal as well. The referee somehow gets that so wrong it is incredible.”

While it was Madley who had the final say in disallowing the goal, Moyes directed much of his ire towards VAR official Jarred Gillett, who summoned the on-field referee to review the incident in the first place.

“I’m amazed that VAR sent the referee to see it but I had a quick glimpse myself and thought that even if he goes to the TV, there’s no way he’s overturning this,” Moyes added. “It was a ridiculously bad decision.

“I’d question VAR today as much as the referee. The referee should have stuck to his guns and be big enough to stick with what he said.

“I’ve lost faith in them after that today. I’ve lost faith in the people putting it up for VAR. I can’t see how the goal wasn’t given.

“I make loads of mistakes so referees can make mistakes but I would hope that if the referee made a mistake it would be corrected by VAR. If you’re saying today that VAR has corrected a referee’s mistake, I’m saying I do not see that in a million years.

“I’m actually more embarrassed for the guy on VAR than for the referee. That’s someone who doesn’t understand football and probably shouldn’t be anywhere near it if that’s enough to send the referee to the screen.”

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