‘Maguire’s goal should have been disallowed’

Harry Maguire’s controversial goal, which put Manchester United 2-1 up against Ipswich Town in the English Premier League yesterday, is still being debated globally, with many arguing that the goal should have been ruled out and the promoted side awarded a free kick.

Former FIFA referee and now instructor, Peter Prendergast, has joined those saying it is a handball — and the goal should have been disallowed.

In quoting directly from the rule book, Prendergast stated, “If it scores in the opponents’ goal directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental, including by the goalkeeper, immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm, even if accidental. Handball.”

It was the 58th minute of play when Ipswich Town’s Chuba Akpom tried to clear a ball on top of his 18-yard area, but was pressured by Maguire, who stole possession, but it appeared to be with the help of the hand.

Maguire then took full advantage and fired a low deflected shot past the Ipswich goalkeeper, Kjell Sherpen, to put the home team 2-1 up.

Manchester United went on to win the game 5-2.

Nevertheless, the controversial goal that turned the game around for Manchester United is being widely criticised as VAR checked the incident. On social media, some are labelling it as ‘daylight robbery’.

“VAR are human beings too. So their interpretation can be different.

“Accidental doesn’t have anything to do with where your hand is. Accidental means the hand can be anywhere. It means it’s not deliberate, but you cannot benefit from that and score,” Prendergast explained.

He added that there can be many interpretations of one incident, but that this one was a clear decision.

“The decision is incorrect. The interpretation was incorrectly applied. They (VAR) are humans and humans make errors too. Sometimes we might say handball and when VAR looks at it, the player never touched it at all, but what the commentators are saying is not what VAR is saying. They are giving their opinions, about hand in natural position and all of that.

“VAR may very well say the ball did not make contact with his hand, but if you write a common ‘m’ and if you keep turning it in one direction, it’s four different things you’ll get. Four different perspectives from one image,” he declared.

It appears, however, that because the goal was ruled an ‘own goal’ it falls outside the strict wording of scoring ‘directly’ or ‘immediately after’ so VAR, based on the International Football Association Board Rule 12, could not legally interfere to rule it out. Maguire was judged not to be the immediate goalscorer as his shot was going wide and was deflected into the goal by Ipswich Town defender Jacob Greaves.

Under the rules, as applied yesterday, an accidental handball by a player is only penalised if he or she directly scores the goal themselves or score immediately after the touch.