PGMO Admits Handball Error on Manchester United Goal Against Nottingham Forest Manchester United’s second goal in Sunday’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest should have been disallowed for handball, the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) has confirmed. The incident occurred when United forward Bryan Mbeumo’s arm made contact with the ball before he attempted to block a shot from a defender. Teammate Matheus Cunha then seized the loose ball and scored, but the goal was allowed despite the handball. The VAR, Matt Donohue, instructed referee Lee Salisbury to review the incident via the pitchside monitor. However, Salisbury concluded the handball was accidental and upheld his on-field decision to award the goal. The decision gave United a 2-1 lead in a match they eventually won 3-2. Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White criticized the ruling, stating, “From the angle I was standing at, it looked like he caught the ball. Whether he scores or not, for me it was still a handball.” He emphasized that the contact appeared deliberate, even if the goal was scored. Referees’ boss Howard Webb addressed the situation, explaining that while there could be justifiable reasons to rule the incident as non-handball, the expected standard in football is to disallow such actions. “A better decision, and one that would be expected, is for it to be disallowed,” Webb said. He noted that the Premier League’s approach to handball is more lenient, acknowledging natural player movements, but stressed that the VAR review should have been accepted.#matheus_cunha #bryan_mbeumo #morgan_gibbs_white #professional_game_match_officials #matt_donohue
Nottingham Forest Secures Europa League Quarter-Final Lead After Early Red Card and Goal Nottingham Forest edged closer to a historic European semi-final berth after securing a 1-0 victory over FC Porto in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final tie at the City Ground on April 17, 2026. The result, which gave Forest a 2-1 aggregate advantage, came after a dramatic early red card for Porto’s Jan Bednarek and a clinical finish from Morgan Gibbs-White. The match began with a tense atmosphere as Forest, aiming to reach their first European semi-final since 1983, pressed heavily against the 10-man Porto. Just eight minutes into the game, Bednarek was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Chris Wood, leaving Porto to defend with 10 players. The Polish defender’s dismissal sparked a shift in momentum, with Forest capitalizing on the numerical advantage. Morgan Gibbs-White capitalized on the chaos in the 12th minute, slotting the ball past Porto’s goalkeeper to give Forest the lead. The goal, which came after a series of missed chances from both sides, extended Forest’s aggregate lead to 2-1. Porto, struggling to organize their defense, continued to face challenges, with Omari Hutchinson and Igor Jesus failing to convert opportunities in the first half. The second half saw Porto attempt to regroup, but Forest’s dominance persisted. A missed header from Jesus and a wide shot from Hutchinson underscored Porto’s defensive vulnerabilities. Despite efforts to equalize, the visitors could not find an equalizer, and Forest’s early advantage proved decisive. The result marks a significant milestone for Nottingham Forest, who now face a potential semi-final clash against either Real Betis or Sporting Braga.#fc_porto #sony_liv #nottingham_forest #morgan_gibbs_white #jan_bednarek
