David Moyes says managers have given up on referees after controversial Oli McBurnie penalty

McBurnie scored in the 13th minute of added time – Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt

David Moyes says Premier League managers now shrug their shoulders and accept refereeing standards after key decisions cost his West Ham team victory in a thrilling stoppage-time at Bramall Lane.

Moyes’ fury was clear on the touchline when Michael Salisbury awarded a penalty despite his goalkeeper Alphonse Areola being dazed, bloodied and needing to be substituted after jumping for the ball with Oli McBurnie, who scored from the spot after a lengthy delay. His 103rd-minute goal was the latest in Premier League history.

The late drama, which included red cards for each team, did not stop there. Moyes and his bench were on their feet claiming a penalty of their own when Jarrod Bowen was held by Anel Ahmedhodzic in the area.

“It looked like the Six Nations,” said former West Ham midfielder Joe Cole, working as a pundit. “That’s a rugby tackle.”

Moyes, who described his team’s performance as one of their worst during his time at the club, chose to be more diplomatic with each flashpoint but it was clear how he felt. Was it a foul on his goalkeeper for the equaliser? “Absolutely, he was completely fouled,” he said. “I brought on our players as I thought it would be better to put someone in who wasn’t dazed.”

When asked about the refereeing decisions, Moyes said “I don’t want to get done”, but he added: “We’ve got to a stage now where we are settling for a level of officiating where we are all shrugging our shoulders and saying ‘okay’. I’m shrugging my shoulders again, we don’t know what they are going to do.”

There was no sign of such a thrilling finale to this game during a match that was short of quality but looked like it would go the way of the Londoners.

They took the lead through Maxwel Cornet scoring his first goal for the club 18 months after joining from Burnley. It was his first Premier League start of the season and saw him volley home at the far post after Danny Ings’ shot had been charged down by Jack Robinson.

United’s first equaliser came from Ben Brereton Diaz scoring on his Premier League debut. On loan from Villarreal for the rest of the season, the Chile international has waited a long time for his chance in the top flight, having been looked at by clubs while at Blackburn in the Championship.

He started on the left flank and his goal came after Will Osula’s header was saved by Areola and he was quickest to react, pinching the ball off James Ward-Prowse and finishing from close range. In the second half, he ran through on goal and should have added a second but dragged his finish wide.

“It was a fabulous run and he’s disappointed he’s not got a second,” said manager Chris Wilder. “He was down to play for 55 minutes from a conditioning point and he also got a whack before half-time and he played over that. I’m sure he’ll stick away chances like that and bring those goals and assists in the second half of the season.”

Ward-Prowse had looked like he had edged West Ham closer to the Champions League places with his late penalty. Ings made the goal again, this time turning Robinson and getting brought down by Gus Hamer. As the fourth official, Darren Bond, held up six minutes of added time, it sparked the incident packed final part of the game, which ended up lasting 15 minutes.

Firstly, Rhian Brewster was dismissed for a wild tackle on Emerson Palmieri. Initially shown a yellow, Salisbury was told to go to his pitchside monitor and then changed his mind after looking at a replay. “I’ll see it one way and other people will see it the other. We had one 10 times worse against Brentford on Vini Souza,” said Wilder.

Vladimir Coufal was cautioned for dissent in that incident and then got a second yellow card for a foul on James McAtee shortly after. “He got involved in something that he shouldn’t have,” was Moyes’ verdict.

And then came the equaliser, with McBurnie and Areola jumping for the ball and Salisbury awarding a penalty. McAtee held the ball on the penalty spot while Areola was getting treatment, a tactic to prevent West Ham players playing mindgames with McBurnie, who was preparing himself to take the spot-kick.

“The keeper was going to be down for a long time and we understood from a psychological  point of view with a lot of people being in that area,” said Wilder. “They were smart between them. Oli still has to stick it in. I didn’t watch it, I just saw the reaction of the crowd.”

There was still time for Bowen penalty shout but Salisbury turned that one down, to the anger of West Ham fans. Wilder’s team remain bottom and have 10 points, which is a worse position than West Brom when they pulled off their great escape in 2005. They have conceded 50 goals in the quickest time since Barnsley in 1997-98 but the point gives them hope.

“There has to be a fighting spirit. It’s a ruthless, relentless league that kills you if you show the white flag,” said Wilder.

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