Why Manchester United should have avoided FA Cup penalty drama vs Coventry City

Manchester United have been told that Aaron Wan-Bissaka should not have been penalised for handball during the FA Cup semi-final victory against Coventry City.

The Reds had led 3-0 going into the last 20 minutes but were pegged back twice through goals from Ellis Simms and Callum O'Hare. Remarkably, the game was taken into extra-time when Haji Wright converted from the spot after Wan-Bissaka was adjudged to have handled a cross.

However, discussing the incident on Sky Sports' Ref Watch, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher felt the officials made the wrong call to award the penalty. He explained: "I didn’t think it was a penalty, but this is the complexity of the handball [law].

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"They have drilled down and drilled down to make it precise but it has actually made it more difficult for the officials. The one thing I would say about that is the distance the ball travelled.

"During that incident, that will be on the referee's mind as the ball came a lot further." Some fans had been concerned that Andre Onana's two yellow cards which were picked up in both normal time and during the penalty shootout could mean he is suspended for the FA Cup final.

However, Gallagher explained why this is not the case. "It is a bit of protection for the semi-finals of the FA Cup," he said.

"A player sent off for a second yellow card misses the final potentially so an amnesty was given after the quarter-final so the yellow cards were wiped out and because that yellow card came in the shootout, it doesn’t count for a totting-up suspension."