Bruno Fernandes offers verdict on Everton penalty as he confirms reason for overturn

Referee Andy Madley overturned his decision to award Everton a late penalty against Manchester United, with Red Devils skipper Bruno Fernandes backing the controversial move

Bruno Fernandes insisted Andy Madley's decision to overturn a late penalty for Everton was the right call as Manchester United escaped Goodison Park with a point.

United were heading for their third successive Premier League defeat when Fernandes netted a brilliant free-kick with 20 minutes to go. He then took the free-kick which led to Manuel Ugarte scoring a remarkable equaliser with 10 minutes remaining.

But Everton looked to have been given the chance to win it at the death when Ashley Young was brought down by a combination of Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire. Madley immediately awarded a penalty, but the decision came under VAR review.

Madley was directed to the pitchside monitor and opted to overturn his call. The home crowd and Everton's players were left furious, but Fernandes insisted that Madley made the right decision to disallow the spot-kick.

He told TNT Sports: "No, no. The referee said the angle was very close from the body so it's nothing to do with that. We have to do much more, me first. Everyone has to lift standards of each other and end the season in the best way possible.

“We had our chances second half but we started late. We didn't have enough movement. We need to start the games better. Every time we concede a goal and we are down is when we start playing and taking risks.”

The Premier League released a statement confirming why Madley had overturned his call. They revealed VAR official Matt Donohue had played a key role in the decision.

The statement read: "VAR checked the referee’s call of penalty to Everton for a challenge by Maguire on Young and deemed that no foul had been committed and recommended an on-field review. The referee overturned the original decision and play restarted with an indirect free-kick."

United boss Ruben Amorim agreed with Fernandes that the decision to overturn the penalty was the right call. He insisted that it would have been a 'soft' spot-kick if Madley stuck to his original call.

Amorim told TNT Sports: "No I think it's a soft touch, it was not from what I saw. I think it was a soft penalty it was clear. If you start the game without the first-half, it was a good point, but we needed the three points.

"The worst part is we are losing the ball without pressure and not doing what we are supposed to do. And we are losing goals from second balls. We are soft. Not just scoring goals but creating chances we have to improve on that. We struggle with scoring goals.

"We have to continue to think in the next game and everything we do in the week we have to do in the game. If we don't we won't win. We need to survive this season, that is clear. We have so many problems. When you go to the game and we let the time pass, it is hard. By the end I think we were nearer to winning this game."

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