Nottingham Forest were beaten by Manchester United 3-2 at Old Trafford, and the debate will rumble on.
The Reds succumbed to a shocking decision from referee Michael Salisbury, who allowed Matheus Cunha’s goal to stand despite VAR helping him and advising that it was handball.
😤How on earth has Manchester United’s second goal stood against Nottingham Forest?!
A complete and utter disgrace!
Forest didn’t deserve to win the game at Old Trafford, but this goal knocked the stuffing out of the Reds, and it proved tricky for the team to shake it off.
Vitor Pereira was clearly frustrated after the game, and he had every right to be after this abysmal showing from the match official.
Supporters have been waiting for the reaction of Dermot Gallagher on Ref Watch and now he’s delivered his verdict on the incident.
- READ MORE: Gary Neville stunned at Forest decision
Dermot Gallagher thinks Forest were unlucky with handball decision
Gallagher is renowned for sticking up for the referees on Sky Sports News show, Ref Watch, but he’s gone against Salisbury on this occasion.
He believes that Salisbury was wrong to stick with his original decision and believes Matthew Donohue on VAR helped him out in a superb manner.
He said: “I think it should be disallowed, I think Michael Salisbury has been seduced by this concept that if it comes off another body part, it’s deemed accidental, and it should be play on.
“I think that’s not right here, that’s if it hits his hip and his arm is out, that’s accidental. VAR here has done as much as they can to guide him on this; his arm is out, and his arm comes in to trap the ball between his arm and his thigh. He’s cushioned the ball and created the opportunity.
“I listened to Matt Donohue, I thought he did brilliantly on VAR, I really do. He’s guided him, he’s explained what he’s seen and he could do no more.
Jay Bothroyd is the former professional on the panel these days and even he believes that United got a huge slice of luck with this incident.
He added: “For me, it’s handball. Manchester United have definitely benefited from it. The ball is caught there for a moment, when it happens and United benefit, it’s clear handball and it’s a shocking decision.
“United have benefited from that, it should be handball. We talk as well about referees taking responsibility and sticking to their decisions, but he had the help in this scenario with VAR, and he should have taken it, he’s got it badly wrong.”
“I don’t know if Michael ever played the game, but he’s just given an opinion there hasn’t he, despite the VAR leading him and telling him he’s missed something.”
In the grand scheme of things, this merely stopped Forest from adding another point onto their total and won’t cost the club too much, really.
Still, it’s another decision that has gone in United’s favour at Old Trafford, and it’s hard to imagine Salisbury would have stuck to his guns had this been to award a goal for Forest.
Something has to be done about the handball law, but thankfully, some common sense has prevailed with this being called out for exactly what it is. Another wrong decision.
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