United’s Offside Nightmare: Goal Ruled Out as VAR Spots ‘Never-Before-Seen’ Infraction
Manchester United’s frustrating night at the Amex Stadium was capped off with a moment of VAR controversy as Alejandro Garnacho’s goal was disallowed for offside against Joshua Zirkzee. The Argentine had arrived at the back post to tap in Bruno Fernandes’ cross, but the ball took a crucial touch off the Dutchman, sparking a debate over whether his knee was ahead of the line.
Replays showed that Zirkzee’s knee was marginally in front of Garnacho’s, rendering the goal invalid. The VAR decision came as a huge blow to United, who were pushing for a winner against Brighton.
"We’ve seen this happen to other teams, but we didn’t want it to happen to us," United boss Erik ten Hag said after the game. "The officials did their job, and we respect their decision."
The Premier League has clarified the decision on their Match Centre Twitter account, stating that Zirkzee’s goal was awarded on-field, but VAR checked for a potential offside and recommended disallowing the goal. The referee restarted play with a Brighton free-kick.
United’s woes began early on, with Danny Welbeck scoring his 100th career goal against his former employers. Amad Diallo equalized in the first half, but United’s second half woes continued as Joao Pedro headed in the winner.
For the second time this week, Ten Hag’s side has seen a crucial goal disallowed. They now face a tough ask to climb the Premier League table, which stands as follows:
Premier League Table
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| Manchester City | 6 |
| Arsenal | 6 |
| Manchester United | 5 |
| Chelsea | 4 |
| Tottenham | 3 |
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