West Ham can count themselves very lucky that Max Kilman stayed on the pitch during their 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday.

The Hammers raced into a two-goal lead inside 35 minutes, with Callum Wilson continuing his hot streak in claret and blue by scoring both. But despite their early control, West Ham unravelled after the break, and manager Nuno Espirito Santo faced criticism for substituting both Wilson and Luis Guilherme far too early.

While the dropped points frustrated the travelling support, things could have gone from bad to disastrous after a chaotic moment from Kilman left Wayne Rooney stunned.

Rooney: Kilman should’ve been sent off

Kilman conceded a penalty in bizarre fashion after sliding in on a wet surface and scooping the ball away with his hand as Evanilson prepared to pull the trigger from six yards. The defender slipped past the Bournemouth striker and then inexplicably used his right hand to divert the ball—preventing a near-certain shot on goal.

Despite the obvious handball and denial of a goalscoring opportunity, Kilman escaped without even a booking, something Rooney found astonishing on Match of the Day.

“He’s very lucky,” Rooney said. “He slides past the player, then clearly moves his hand towards the ball. It’s a penalty and it has to be a red card—he’s six yards out and about to shoot. I don’t understand how that’s not a red.”

A baffling decision from an experienced defender

Replays didn’t make Kilman’s actions any easier to comprehend. His slide took him out of position and left Evanilson clean through, with Alphonse Areola well placed behind him and in strong form throughout the game. Instead of allowing his goalkeeper the chance to make a save, Kilman opted for a moment of panic that almost cost West Ham dearly.

While Nuno’s substitutions will remain a talking point, the manager could hardly have prepared for such an avoidable error from one of his senior defenders.