Michael Salisbury dropped from final-day Premier League appointments after Man United vs Nottingham Forest row | OneFootball

According to Nottingham Post, referee Michael Salisbury has not been selected for any Premier League fixtures on the final day after controversy in Nottingham Forest’s 3-2 defeat at Manchester United last weekend.

Salisbury’s decision to allow the hosts’ second goal angered Forest and puzzled pundits. Two minutes after Morato had levelled, Matheus Cunha struck, with Forest adamant it should have been ruled out for a Bryan Mbeumo handball in the build-up.

Following a VAR review, Salisbury checked the pitchside monitor and kept the original decision. The Premier League Match Centre later stated on X that the handball was considered accidental, so the goal stood.

Howard Webb, head of referees’ governing body PGMO, Professional Game Match Officials, subsequently contacted Forest to apologise and acknowledge the call was incorrect.

The defeat ended an eight-match unbeaten league run for Vitor Pereira’s side. They finish the season at home to Bournemouth, with safety already assured.

Pereira accepted the referee’s decision yet maintained it was clear handball and that it decided the match. He said the referee believed the arm contact followed a touch off the body, and he called for greater clarity on handball and blocking offences.

Source: Nottingham Post