The Premier League Match Centre have spoken out after Manchester United had a goal controversially given against Nottingham Forest. Referee Michael Salisbury was told to consult the pitchside VAR monitor after Bryan Mbeumo controlled the ball between his arm and his body seconds before Mathes Cunha found the bottom corner to make it 2-1 to United.
But despite VAR recommending that the goal be ruled out, Salisbury overruled his fellow officials, declaring to the Old Trafford crowd that the goal would stand. It was ultimately adjudged that the handball offence was accidental. The Premier League Match Centre said: “#MUNNFO – 55′ After VAR review, the referee stuck with the original decision to award a goal to Manchester United. Referee announcement: ‘After review, the decision of goal stands because the handball offence is accidental, therefore the final decision is goal.'”
The Forest players and their manager Vitor Pereira were left outraged at the decision, with it appearing a formality the goal would be disallowed before Salisbury’s on-pitch announcement to the stadium.
Even United legend Gary Neville, on commentary for Sky Sports, was baffled by the decision. He said: “There is a clear handball… I would be surprised if this stands. The Forest players were going mad and l would be furious if that stood.
“Honestly, l just don’t think that’s a goal. It is a clear handball. They have to intervene here. That is a shocker in every way! Honestly, that is ridiculous. The VAR has been clear: the player has handballed it.
“He looked it for three minutes and the referee has looked at it for another minute. I can’t believe what I have just seen. That was handball. I don’t know what to say.”
The former England right-back continued: “We have to admire referees who stand by their decisions but that was not the time to do it.
“There will be nobody watching that games who plays football or who watches football who will think that goal should have been awarded. It feels obvious to disallow. He almost wedged the ball under his arm.”
Luke Shaw had put United 1-0 up in their final home game of the Premier League season just five minutes in. But Morato drew Forest level on the 52nd minute, before Cunha’s goal was contentiously awarded two minutes later.
United moved 3-1 in front with 15 minutes remaining when Mbeumo swept in captain Bruno Fernandes’ cross. It meant the Portugal playmaker moves to a joint-record 20 Premier League assists this season, matching Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry.
Morgan Gibbs-White restored hope for the away team just three minutes later, though, when he applied a beautiful finish to Elliot Anderson’s cross to make it 3-2.
