PGMO accepts Man Utd ‘handball’ goal against Forest should have been disallowed | OneFootball

Howard Webb has told Nottingham Forest it was an error not to disallow Manchester United’s ‘handball’ goal at Old Trafford. According to NY Times, the chief refereeing officer contacted the club to acknowledge the mistake.

Webb, head of the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO), informed the City Ground hierarchy that referee Michael Salisbury should have ruled out Matheus Cunha’s 55th-minute strike in Forest’s 3-2 defeat on Sunday.

Cunha put United 2-1 up after a handball by Bryan Mbeumo in the build-up, with the ball controlled between his arm and hip. Salisbury awarded the goal, then did not overturn it after VAR Matthew Donohue sent him to the pitchside monitor. Despite several replays, the on-field decision stood.

Webb rang Forest personally today to accept the error and say a better outcome would have been for Salisbury to change his original call.

Head coach Vitor Pereira said he was proud of his players and relieved Forest had secured the points they needed before this match, noting that a decision like this would have been a big problem if safety had still been at stake.

He said it is important to have a meeting to clarify rules and decisions, as managers have doubts. He believed it was a clear handball and felt the decision decided the game.

Source: NY Times