Soccer

PGMO apologises to Forest for wrong call over handball before Matheus Cunha goal

Published by Jonathan Veal

18, May

The Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) has apologised to Nottingham Forest after admitting referee Michael Salisbury was wrong to allow Matheus Cunha’s goal for Manchester United to stand in Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League defeat.

Cunha struck in the second half of Sunday’s Old Trafford clash to put United 2-1 up, with Salisbury overruling VAR on a contentious handball decision.

United forward Bryan Mbuemo, who then went on to score his side’s third, clearly controlled the ball with his arm in the build-up and Salisbury was sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR in expectation that the goal would be ruled out.

v2-image-production-92dea94e77009fa0622b254a80da3bc8Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzc5MjA2NzM4-2.84650965 — Salisbury took the rare decision to ovverule VAR at the pitchside monitor (Martin Rickett/PA)

However, the Lancashire official decided Mbuemo handled the ball accidentally and the goal stood.

The Press Association understands PGMO chief Howard Webb has since contacted Forest to admit Salisbury should have overturned his original decision and apologised for the error, which resulted in Forest’s eight-game unbeaten run in the Premier League coming to an end.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville was incredulous after the decision, saying during his commentary on Sky Sports: “Oh my gosh, wow, I think that is an absolute shocker in every single way.

“That is ridiculous, the amount of time that has taken. The VAR has said to the referee, ‘This should be disallowed, he has handballed it, he’s controlled it with his arm and he has brought it into play’.

v2-image-production-9dc72b8f2d7475062c934a768e004f84Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzc5MjA3Mjcz-2.84573186 — Forest boss Vitor Pereira called for a clearer interpretation of the handball rule (Jacob King/PA)

“The referee has gone over to the screen and overruled VAR. I cant believe what I have just seen, honestly.

“That is ridiculous.

“The VAR has been clear – the player has handballed it. He looked at it for three minutes and the referee has looked at it for another minute.

“I can’t believe what I have seen. That was handball. I don’t know what to say.

“We have to admire referees who stand by their decisions. That wasn’t the time to do it.”

Speaking after the match, Forest boss Vitor Pereira said there is now too much doubt over the handball rule.

“This is the doubt we have in the Premier League at the moment about these decisions,” he said. “We don’t know what is handball or not. (Set-pieces), we don’t know what is a free-kick or not.

“I think it’s important to have a meeting and try to understand the rules, the decisions. In this moment, all managers have doubts about these decisions.”