Mike Dean makes damning claim about controversial West Ham penalty decision

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean strongly criticized referee Ruebyn Ricardo for awarding a controversial penalty against West Ham during their draw with QPR. Speaking on Sky Sports, Dean called the decision a shocker and suggested it could be the worst call in English football this season, noting that Tomáš Souček clearly won the ball cleanly outside the penalty area.

Nicolas Madsen scored the 18th-minute penalty before Jarrod Bowen equalized in the 70th minute for West Ham. Bowen later saw a stoppage-time penalty saved by Pierce Charles, costing West Ham the chance to move top of the Championship. The contentious call drew criticism from manager Nuno Espírito Santo and reignited debates regarding VAR in the Championship.