Another handball 'mess' - is it time to change law?

Referee Michael Salisbury signals before he awards a second goal to Matheus Cunha of Manchester United after a VAR check

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,

United's 3-2 win sealed a third-place finish in the Premier League

ByDale JohnsonFootball issues correspondent

Published19 minutes ago

If there is one thing in the modern game that is guaranteed to confuse it is the handball law.

And at Old Trafford on Sunday we were presented with the latest example of a decision which has left supported scratching their heads.

The ball hit the arm of Bryan Mbeumo, who saw his shot blocked before it ran to Matheus Cunha to score Manchester United's second goal in their 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.

United's celebrations were muted as Forest's players complained to referee Michael Sailisbury. Everyone seemed to expect that the goal would be ruled out.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was adamant the video assistant referee (VAR) Matt Donohue should intervene and send the referee to the monitor.

Neville got his way, but the review would not end the way he thought it would. Sailisbury did what referees have now done only 17 times in seven seasons - he stuck with his on-field decision and awarded the goal.

"I think that is an absolute shocker in every single way," Neville said.

"It's ridiculous. The VAR have been quite clear, they said it has to be disallowed. He has handballed it and brought the ball back into play.

"I can't believe what I have just seen to be honest.

"VAR looked at it for three minutes and then the referee looks at it for another minute. They are overthinking it. They have got themselves into a real mess there."

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane said the implementation of the current handball rule has left ex-professionals "scratching ourselves" confused.

"We are confused ourselves," said Keane. "Ex footballers will all be saying handball and no one would complain about it."

Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann described it as a "penalisable handball" and believes it could be time to return to a simpler law - while Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira called for meeting to explain the laws.

'You can clearly see that the ball comes off Mbeumo's arm'

There is a question to consider.

Mbeumo's arm is in expected position and not extended away from the body. There was a deflection off the hip onto the arm, too, so would you expect this to be a penalty if it were a Forest defender?

Absolutely not in the Premier League, but football does seem to have a different expectation when it comes to an attacking move and it is unlikely public opinion will be on Salisbury's side.

If the ball has come off an arm any goal should surely be disallowed.

The sentiment was shared by Cann.

"While I think that it is commendable to see a referee stick with his original decision - for only the fourth time in the Premier League this season - I believe that football's expectation is Mbeumo controlling the ball, especially when it leads to a goal, outweighs the possible deflection off Mbeumo's hip," Cann said.

Cann added: "Mbeumo does control the ball [with his hand] and while he's not the scorer himself, football's expectation is for that to be disallowed.

"The law states that usually it's the scorer, if he accidentally or deliberately handles the ball before putting the ball in the back of the net, it will be disallowed."

What information do we collect from this quiz?

What is the handball law and does it need changing?

For a couple of years accidental handball that led to a team-mate scoring used to see a goal ruled out.

But there were constant complaints, which reached a head when a Fulham goal for Josh Maja was controversially disallowed for an accidental handball by Mario Lemina directly before scoring.

So the law was changed in 2021. Now it only applies to the goalscorer.

And that allows Salisbury to come to a different decision about Mbeumo.

A handball in the build-up must be deliberate - or the arm be in an unnatural position.

So, if Mbeumo's shot had gone in, the goal would have to be disallowed. Because it was blocked, it can be allowed to stand and becomes a subjective judgement of the handball offence.

"It is a decision that will split people, I can see both sides of the argument, but I think we have had so many talks this side of the border and north of the border recently, that we need to go back to deliberate handball," said Cann.

"If it is unequivocally a handball then we disallow. If the handball is accidental or if the arm is in an unnatural position and we have all these clauses in the law then it gets a bit complicated so I would advocate for a return to just deliberate handball."

There was a perfect example of this from December in a game between Brighton and West Ham.

The ball deflected off the body of Georginio Rutter before contact with the arm. The Brighton player then saw a shot saved by Alphonse Areola. The loose ball ran to Jan Paul van Hecke, who passed to Rutter to score Brighton's stoppage time equaliser.

Because Rutter did not score immediately after the ball had touched his arm, the goal was legal.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo was furious the goal was allowed to stand, but in law it was not handball.

The Mbeumo decision is more controversial, as the ball would have run away from him had it not hit his arm.

Within VAR protocol, referees are asked to consider "what would football expect?"

In this case, giving handball would be the far less controversial outcome.

What have the players, managers and pundits said?

Speaking to Sky Sports, Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White - who scored in his side's defeat at Old Trafford - said: "I think we need to have clear rules, there's a lot of controversy around it this season.

"It's not clear to anyone. I don't think anyone understands the rulings on it. I'm proud of the boys and we need to continue the run we are on."

Forest manager Vitor Pereira said: "I looked at the iPad to look at the image and I stayed very calm but in the end I think we need to have a meeting together to understand when it's handball, when it's a block, when it's a block in the box.

"At the moment we don't know what is possible or not and a lot of the time we don't understand the decisions. But I must accept it."

Former England and Totteham goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC 5 Live: "It's handball. It's clear handball all day long.

"We are in an area of opinion, it is not 'clear and obvious' is the phrase that we hear all the time. Mbeumo has almost used his arm to control the ball, he squeezes it towards his body, though you could argue he is trying to move it out of the way.

"We have had so many conversations this season about handball in the build-up to a goal, so I don't see in what world that is not a handball."

Former England and Manchester City defender Steph Houghton told BBC's Final Score: "I do think that there is an action from Mbeumo towards the ball to help the control, especially when he is spinning away from the defender.

"We were so surprised that the referee stuck with his decision. We all thought it was handball."

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What have the fans said?

Nick, from Warrington: All this talk of overruling VAR's recommendation for Cunha's goal, but it's actually refreshing to see a referee take ownership of a decision and stand by it. VAR's word isn't the law, only a recommendation.

Jeremy, Bath: By that logic, virtually every single handball should be deemed no foul play as accidental! It's rarely deliberate. The players do know they aren't playing basketball.#

Frustrated fan, Manchster: Even more ridiculous explanation saying handball being accidental. How may handballs are not accidental? And VAR has almost always disallowed goals leading up from a handball. Very frustrating

Phil, London: VAR is beyond a farce now. Beyond satire. A clear handball.

Jack St Albans: VAR is a joke. I'm a Man Utd fan and even I will admit that goal shouldn't have stood!

Simon, Brimingham: A poor explanation from a referee. They cannot guess intent. If it's touched his hand and gave him an advantage, that's a handball. VAR and the referee have complicated the issue.