Howard Webb apologised to Nottingham Forest after Manchester United’s goal stood despite Bryan Mbeumo’s handball in the build-up. The decision infuriated Forest’s Vitor Pereira, while United’s 3-2 win over the weekend kept the controversy at the centre of the
Manchester United left Old Trafford with a 3-2 victory on Sunday, but the celebration carried a sour edge for Nottingham Forest after referees’ chief Howard Webb apologised over the call that allowed one key goal to stand.
The incident involved Bryan Mbeumo handling the ball in the build-up to Matheus Cunha’s strike. which restored United’s lead in the tie.. Forest boss Vitor Pereira was furious after referee Michael Salisbury kept the on-field decision despite VAR sending the matter to the pitchside monitor for review.. Pereira branded the call “accidental” and insisted it should not have stood.
The dispute did not end with the final whistle.. On Monday. Webb contacted Forest to discuss what happened and acknowledged that Salisbury made the wrong call in allowing the goal to stand.. In the wider conversation around the match. United fan Gary Neville called the decision “a shocker”. while Alan Shearer described it as “disgraceful”.. Neville added: “We have to admire referees who stand by their decisions.. That wasn’t the time to do it.”
United went on to win 3-2 after a match that swung repeatedly.. Luke Shaw, Cunha and Mbeumo were all on the scoresheet for the Red Devils.. Forest. meanwhile. equalised through Morato in the 52nd minute and fought back to make it 3-2 via Morgan Gibbs-White in the 77th minute. a fight that only intensified their sense of injustice over the earlier goal.
In his post-match press conference. Pereira said managers need meetings with match officials because they are no longer sure of the rules. warning the controversy would have been “a big problem” if Forest were still in danger of going down.. The Forest manager was explicit about what he believed should have been treated as handball.
The handball law set out during the discussion described an offence if a player scores directly from their hand/arm. even if accidental. including by the goalkeeper. or if the player scores immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm. even if accidental.. It also noted that accidental handball that leads to a team-mate scoring a goal or having a goal-scoring opportunity would no longer be considered an offence.. Pereira’s frustration focused on how the incident was judged on the day.
Pereira said: ‘It was a pity that the game was decided for a decision that I must accept because it’s the decision of the referee. but it’s not my opinion.‘For me. it’s handball. very clear. but he decided not to and for me it was the decision that decided the game.‘If the game today was decided in this way and we needed the points to be safe – big problem.’
When asked if he had spoken to the referee. Pereira added: ‘He thinks the control with the hand was after the touch on the body.. It’s not my opinion because I watch the image. and he controls the ball with the hand and the goal comes from the control.. If not. they will not have a chance to shoot and score.‘But this is the doubt we have in this moment in Premier League about these decisions.. We don’t know what is handball or not.. The blocks in the box: we don’t know when it’s foul or not.‘It’s important to have a meeting with everybody and try to understand the rules. the decisions.. Because I think everybody, all the managers in this moment have doubts about some decisions.’
The reaction was echoed by former players at full-time.. Micah Richards said: “It’s handball, it’s as simple as that.. We’ve talked about VAR and their influence on games but this was as clear as day.” Roy Keane admitted he was “scratching his head” over the decision and suggested every former professional footballer would want that goal ruled out for a handball.
As the debate continued, the match itself still delivered major moments for United beyond the controversy.. Towards the end of the game. Bruno Fernandes matched the Premier League’s all-time record for assists in a single season. joining Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry in the history books on 20 ahead of the final day next Sunday.
Forest’s evening also included a standout individual performance from Elliot Anderson. and Pereira acknowledged the midfielder’s long-term outlook remains uncertain.. Pereira said: ‘This is an answer I don’t have.. ‘The market is the market, and everything can happen.. What I can say to you is the club wants to keep him playing for us. for sure.’ Earlier in the discussion. Anderson was described as being rated at £100million.
There was another thread tying the day together: Salisbury’s on-field call went unchanged despite VAR sending the incident to be reviewed. and then Webb later acknowledged that the referee made the wrong call in allowing the goal to stand—turning an on-the-pitch “accidental” verdict into an apology after the match.
Nottingham Forest Manchester United Howard Webb Bryan Mbeumo Michael Salisbury VAR handball Vitor Pereira Old Trafford Bruno Fernandes