Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha strike in Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League win over Nottingham Forest should have been disallowed for handball, the referees’ body has said.
PGMO overturns the decision after VAR review
Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMO) contacted Forest on Monday to acknowledge an error involving referee Michael Salisbury, who changed course after being sent to the pitch-side monitor.
The incident came after the ball struck Bryan Mbeumo’s arm. Salisbury ultimately overruled the original VAR outcome, allowing play to continue and the goal to stand, a decision PGMO later said was wrong.
How the handball controversy unfolded
PGMO explained that the VAR view was that Mbeumo controlled the ball between his arm and body before his shot was stopped and the rebound dropped to Cunha.
Salisbury ruled that the contact with the arm was accidental and therefore upheld his earlier call. With the goal given, United went ahead 2-1.
Forest manager demands clarity amid wider officiating complaints
Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira said the rules are not clear enough, arguing that the decision ultimately affected the outcome of the match.
- Pereira said, “For me, it was handball, very clear.”
- He added that it was “sad not to cancel the goal” and that, in his view, the ruling “decided the game.”
- Pereira stated he must accept the referee’s decision, but maintained his belief that the ball was controlled with the hand and that the goal resulted from that control.
- He argued that if the action did not involve hand control, then Forest would not have faced a shot leading to a score.
Pereira also highlighted frustration beyond the United incident, pointing to grappling in the penalty area. He referenced Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over West Ham United on May 10, which was affected by debate over whether Callum Wilson’s possible 96th-minute equaliser should have been ruled out.
- Pereira said Premier League decision-making at the end of matches still leaves doubts.
- On handball, he said it is unclear “when it is a handball or not.”
- Regarding challenges in the box, he said it is also unclear when blocks amount to fouls, especially during free-kicks.
- He called for a meeting involving those responsible for rulings so that managers can better understand the rules and the decision standards, stressing that “everybody… all the managers… have doubts about some decisions.”
Rule context, frequency of reversals, and impact on the table
A 2021 rule change states that an accidental handball that results in a goal or a goal-scoring opportunity for a teammate is not treated as an offence.
It was also the fourth occasion this season that an on-field referee has rejected a VAR recommendation after reviewing footage.
While the decision involved a significant goal moment, Sunday’s result did not materially shift the standings. United secured third place, though they had already guaranteed Champions League football for next season, while Forest remained safe from relegation.
