Ex-Premier League referee gives verdict on controversial Tottenham vs Man Utd VAR penalty
Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League win over Manchester United involved another controversial VAR call that went for Ange Postecoglou's side. Spurs ran-out 2-0 winners over Erik ten Hag's team thanks to Pape Matar Sarr's first goal for the club and a fortunate Lisandro Martinez own goal.
The north Londoners rode their luck at times with Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro missing golden opportunities. Tottenham did, however, make the most of their second half dominance with their first win of the season.
But the result may have been completely different if United got their way. In the first half, Alejandro Garnacho's shot was deflected wide by Cristian Romero with an accidental handball. Replays showed the attempt striking Romero's hand inside the penalty area but VAR did not overturn referee Michael Oliver's decision.
The decision has been heavily criticised in the following days but former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has insisted that VAR made the correct decision by not awarding United a penalty. Asked whether the Red Devils will receive an apology from the PGMOL, Gallagher said: «I would say 100% no because my feeling is that he was so close [to Garnacho when the shot was taken].
»We talked last week about handball and I think it's very, very difficult. The more you drill down into it to get it right, the more it causes problems and one of the problems there is that the arm's out, is it an expected position? Is it about the shoulder? You can ask all of them questions. Has the ball come at him too fast? That's what they've felt is too close and that was the decision."
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