Ruud van Nistelrooy’s post-match comments have sparked considerable attention following Leicester City’s controversial 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford. The Leicester boss was visibly infuriated by what he perceived as poor officiating decisions that directly influenced the outcome of the match. His scathing remarks about the referee, including a claim that United “won because of the referee,” have raised questions about the integrity of the officiating in the game.
The two key moments Van Nistelrooy focused on were Manchester United’s second goal, which he argued was offside and should have been reviewed more thoroughly, and a penalty appeal for Leicester that was denied in the second half. The VAR decision not to overturn the offside call or award a penalty added to Van Nistelrooy’s frustration, which led him to report the incidents to the authorities.
His fury was further evident in the post-match interactions when he refused to shake hands with United manager Ruben Amorim, fueling speculation that his anger extended beyond the officiating, possibly due to Amorim’s handling of the situation.
Leicester are likely to request a formal review of the officiating, although such requests often have little effect. Meanwhile, Van Nistelrooy’s comments could attract scrutiny from the FA for publicly challenging the refereeing decisions. For Manchester United, the three points were secured, but the victory was overshadowed by the controversial decisions, leaving a cloud of uncertainty over the fairness of the result.
