FANS have slammed referee Stuart Attwell after Southampton’s Cameron Archer had to wait 51 SECONDS to take his penalty against Manchester United.

The match was level at 0-0 when Diogo Dalot chopped Saints kid Tyler Dibling down in the box.

Cameron Archer was made to wait before missing his penaltyCredit: Getty

Andre Onana saved Archer’s penalty down low

After a VAR check, the spot-kick was confirmed and Archer stepped up for the Saints.

The striker put the ball on the spot but was made to wait almost a minute before being allowed to take it.

And, when he was finally allowed to strike towards goal, Archer’s limp low shot was kept out by a stretching Andre Onana.

He managed to get onto the rebound but his header too was caught by the United stopper, to the delight of a thrilled Lisandro Martinez.

In total, the time between the penalty being awarded and it being taken was over TWO AND A HALF MINUTES.

And Southampton fans were fuming with Attwell for making Archer wait, with one saying: “Why was there such a huge delay before he could take it?

“It’d been checked, no one was in the box? That was ridiculous, seemed to be the ref deliberately waiting.”

A second wrote: “That’s a disgrace. Why did the referee make Archer wait for so long?”

A third added: “You could see Archer getting more restless as he was made to wait. This is so annoying.”

Another chimed in: “You knew he was going to miss. Was too long. Refs need to control those situations better.”

The Saints had an early spring in their step and after dominating the ball and attacking play before the penalty was awarded.

United were camped in their own half for most of the first 30 minutes, with Dalot particularly struggling down his left hand side.

But Premier League football is cruel and momentum immediately switched on Onana’s save.

New United defender Matthijs de Ligt’s header put Erik ten Hag’s side 1-0 up through a Bruno Fernandes assist just two minutes later.

Marcus Rashford then doubled the lead for the visitors.

It was the 26-year-old’s first Prem goal since his penalty against Everton at Old Trafford on March 9.

Alejandro Garnacho made it three at the death, as Saints failed to even have another SHOT after the penalty.

And speaking after full-time Ten Hag admitted the penalty was the “turning point”.

He said: “The start was not easy.

“I think the penalty was the turning point in the game and not so far after we scored and that was very important.

“From that moment on, the game was all ours.”