Manchester United earned a point against Bournemouth despite the referee’s best efforts, and they have Ruben Amorim’s legacy to thank for getting robbed.
Stuart Attwell was at the centre of controversy again as he denied a stonewall penalty to Amad before sending Harry Maguire off.
Last time he refereed a game was the infamous 2-2 draw against Burnley, where it was acknowledged that Lisandro Martinez’s goal should have stood.
These two games sum up the last Ruben Amorim legacy at Old Trafford. Michael Carrick started to fight against it after the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, picking up from where Darren Fletcher left off.
Referee Stuart Attwell confronted by Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire of Manchester United asking for a penalty in the build up to the equaliaing Bournemouth goal during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at Vitality Stadium on March 20, 2026
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
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Ruben Amorim’s stance on referees was a problem for Man Utd
It sounds cynical in theory, but Amorim’s stance on never calling out the referees after the game proved to be problematic for Man Utd.
This is a league where the managers take every single marginal gain they can get on and off the field, and setting the agenda via the press is a key part of it.
Sir Alex Ferguson did it regularly, and whether they accept it or not, the referees will always have be subconsciously influenced while making decisions.
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If they know that they can give decisions against United and nobody will call them out, while the opposition manager will, it becomes easy to give decisions against United.
That kept happening when Amorim was the manager, and it was visible in Darren Fletcher’s first game in charge, and has now continued with Carrick.
Fortunately, unlike Amorim, Carrick and Fletcher recognise the power of the narrative.
Michael Carrick has come out fighting where Amorim didn’t
Fletcher deserves due credit for rekindling the fight against wrong decisions by the referees after the Burnley game.
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Carrick has now picked up from where Fletcher left off, as he called out Attwell after the game, challenging them to accept they got at least one decision wrong.
It’s been far too long since a Man Utd manager realised the importance of doing it instead of living in his idealistic bubble of never calling out the referees.
The referees are encouraging this behaviour by taking liberties against coaches who don’t call them out.
It’s the same as diving, where a player who genuinely tries to stay on his feet doesn’t get the reward, while the one who goes down to make the contact clear gets rewarded.
Not calling out the referees at all is Amorim’s last poor legacy at United. Carrick is fighting against it. It’s long overdue.
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