The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMO) has admitted that Manchester United’s second goal in Sunday’s Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest should have been ruled out for handball.
The controversial incident occurred during United’s 3-2 victory when forward Bryan Mbeumo appeared to control the ball with his arm before teammate Matheus Cunha converted the rebound into the net.
Referee Michael Salisbury initially awarded the goal before being instructed by VAR official Matt Donohue to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.
Despite the review, Salisbury maintained his original decision, judging that the handball was accidental and did not warrant disallowing the goal.
The decision handed United a 2-0 advantage in a match they eventually won 3-2.
However, the referees’ body later acknowledged that the goal should not have stood.
As reported by BBC Sport on Monday, PGMO chief Howard Webb reportedly contacted Nottingham Forest to explain the error.
According to Webb, “while there could be justifiable reasons to judge this was not handball, a better decision, and one that would be expected, is for it to be disallowed.”
Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White criticised the decision after the match, insisting the ball clearly struck Mbeumo’s hand.
“From the angle I was standing at, it looked like he caught the ball,” Gibbs-White said.
“Whether he scores or not, for me it was still a handball.”
Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann also backed the view that the goal should have been overturned.
“While I think that it is commendable to see a referee stick with his original decision, I believe that football’s expectation is Mbeumo controlling the ball, especially when it leads to a goal, outweighs the possible deflection off Mbeumo’s hip,” Cann told BBC Sport.
“Mbeumo does control the ball and while he’s not the scorer himself, football’s expectation is for that to be disallowed,” he added.
The incident marked only the 17th occasion in seven Premier League seasons that a referee has rejected the recommendation of the VAR after conducting an on-field review.
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