Manchester United vs Wolves VAR decision explained after controversial penalty call

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes VAR chose not to overturn the controversial Andre Onana penalty decision because of the PGMOL's new directive regarding the threshold for fouls.

Manchester United are widely deemed to have been fortunate referee Simon Hooper and VAR's Michael Salisbury and Richard West decided not to award a penalty for Onana's challenge on Sasa Kalajdzic. The goalkeeper rushed off his line to collect a cross but clattered into the forward instead.

Hooper chose not to award a spot kick and after a VAR check the decision was made to let play continue. All three officials have now been dropped from this weekend's Premier League fixtures.

Want to join our MUFC Pro club for a totally ad-free version of the MEN’s Man United app packed with premium features? Click here

ALSO READ: PGMOL apologise to Wolves over failure to award penalty

Speaking on Sky Sports' Ref Watch, Gallagher felt it should have been a penalty but offered up a theory as to why the decision was not given.

He said: "I just can't answer that question [about why a penalty was not given]. You look at the images and I feel the referee on-field should get it if you see where he is stood. You see how far Onana comes, he comes a long way and Simon can see all the way through.

"He crashes into the first player, crashes into [Craig] Dawson. I feel that it just has to be given as a penalty, it has got to be a foul.

"I think VAR should have overturned it but I wonder if we are told there is a higher threshold [for fouls] nobody really knows where that threshold is, because your tolerance level is slightly different to mine.

The transfer window is in full swing and United have got their hands on three players well in