Sam Johnstone questions if Bruno Fernandes penalty technique should be allowed after Manchester United defeat

Johnstone saved Fernandes’ first penalty attempt but strayed off his goal-line

West Bromwich goalkeeper Sam Johnstone (Getty Images)

Sam Johnstone, the West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper, has questioned whether Bruno Fernandes' 'hop, skip and jump' penalty-taking technique should be allowed.

Johnstone saved a spot-kick from Fernandes during West Bromwich's 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday, only for the penalty to be re-taken after Johnstone had strayed off his goal-line.

Fernandes had hesitated during his run-up with a trademark jump, which appeared to deceive Johnstone into moving early. The United playmaker did the same again on the second kick, this time beating the goalkeeper.

United had been awarded the spot-kick for Darnell Furlong's handball of a Juan Mata cross, only a few minutes after referee David Coote had overturned his decision to give a penalty to West Bromwich for a Fernandes challenge on Conor Callagher.

Johnstone - a former United academy player - otherwise kept his former club at bay with a string of impressive saves as part of a man-of-the-match performance, but was unhappy that Fernandes' technique was allowed.

Read more: Are Manchester United becoming too reliant on Bruno Fernandes’ penalties?

Adam Sells, managing director of goalkeeping equipment brand Sells, suggested that goalkeepers should be allowed to move anywhere within the six yard box when facing a penalty.

In response to Sells' tweet, Johnstone wrote: "And a striker shouldn’t be able to hop skip and jump before kicking it."

The defeat prolonged West Bromwich's search for their first win of the Premier League season, with Slaven Bilic's side having drawn three and lost six of their nine games.

Bilic was unhappy with the officiating at Old Trafford, criticising both the decision to overturn his side's penalty and the failure to spot a foul by Fred on Gallagher in the build-up to United's spot-kick.  

"I'm very disappointed," he told BT Sport. "I'm really disappointed with the decision. The whole second half I felt like it was 'small West Brom' to be fair.

"All those crucial decisions went against us. I've watched it a few times now and, for me, the penalty on Conor Gallagher is a clear penalty. I don't understand why he overturned the penalty.

"Under the new rules, it's a handball. Unlucky from Darnell but it is a handball, but before the penalty there is a clear foul on Conor Gallagher.

"We are talking about 1-0 for us, we are talking about 1-0 for them, and especially when you play against Manchester United away it's a huge difference, it's crucial. It's game over.

"I told the guys after the game that we are very, very disappointed because we deserved to get something from the game. We deserved to go in front in the second half and told them basically to stay positive."