Erik ten Hag chastised VAR’s inconsistent execution after Manchester United and Crystal Palace players clashed, but only Casemiro was sent off for “crossing the line”.
Bruno Fernandes’ early penalty and Marcus Rashford’s goal put the Red Devils on course for a 13th consecutive home win in all competitions which they completed after a nervous last 20 minutes.
Jeffrey Schlupp pushed Antony off the field, leading to a fight involving both sets of players, which ended with Casemiro receiving a straight red card for violent conduct.
Referee Andre Marriner was advised by VAR to look on the pitch’s monitor to watch footage of the Brazil international grabbing Will Hughes by the throat.
But Ten Hag said Palace players should have been penalized for their role in a melee that resulted in a frenetic close to the game, with Schlupp pulling one back, only for United to win 2-1.
“We played a good game,” said the Dutchman. “I think we played a brilliant game.
“The first 70 minutes before the incident was at a very high level and then you see that this team is for each other.
“It’s such a good spirit for the team and they don’t accept it when one of our players gets seriously injured. That’s how Antony was treated.
“This team stays together, but of course you have to control your emotions, but at a time like that it’s really hard.
“Then I see two teams fighting each other, I see two teams where players, multiple players, cross the line and then one player is picked and sent off. To me that is not right.”
Ten Hag said Schlupp took a “great risk” in pushing Antony off the field, saying he could have been “badly injured”.
The United boss said Jordan Ayew “absolutely” should have been sent off for his actions in the fight that followed, with the recent lack of VAR consistency infuriating him.
“You bring it up, but that was one of the players who did even worse, I would say, than Casemiro,” Ten Hag said of Ayew. “With Casemiro you freeze the moment and he crosses the line there, but I certainly do.
“As a VAR you have to be consistent. Last week we missed Christian Eriksen (who is out for three months) due to a foul. No interference from VAR.
“At Crystal Palace (last month) (Jean-Phillipe) Mateta (Lisandro) elbows Martinez, he has been running with a spot on his eyebrow for two weeks and (VARs) are not interfering. I see that this is not correct.”
Ten Hag says United should consider whether to appeal Casemiro’s sending off – a straight red means his next home game is the Carabao Cup final on February 26.
Crystal Palace counterpart Patrick Vieira was less candid about his take on the service.
The great of France charged straight at referee Marriner, but when he asked what he said to the referees, he replied: “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Vieira said he was too far gone to have a clear picture of the incident that ended with Casemiro’s departure one afternoon as Palace threatened to take another late draw against United.
“I think we showed character,” said the Palace boss. “Disappointed in the start, our first half.
“I think we defended well. We were pretty well organised, but when we managed to win the ball we couldn’t combine.
“In the first half we lost the ball a little too quickly, in the second half it went much better.