The referee for Manchester United‘s win over Nottingham Forest last Sunday has not been selected for any match in the final round of Premier League fixtures.
Michael Salisbury allowed Matheus Cunha’s goal for United to stand, despite Bryan Mbeumo handling the ball in the build-up.
Salisbury rejected a video assistant referee (VAR) review to rule out the goal and Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) later admitted that it should have been disallowed.
Referees in the English professional game adopt a more lenient approach to handball than other nations, albeit still within the laws.
And although referees’ boss Howard Webb told Forest that while there could be justifiable reasons to deem it was not handball by Mbeumo, ‘football’s expectation’ would have been for the goal to be disallowed.
It was only the 17th time in seven seasons – and the fourth this season – that a referee has rejected the advice of the VAR at the pitchside monitor.
Salisbury, who has been in charge of 13 Premier League matches this season, is not part of the officiating team for any of Sunday’s 10 games, which all kick off at 16:00 BST.
Meanwhile, James Bell has been selected as VAR for Fulham’s home game with Newcastle, despite criticism of the decision not to recommend a review of a challenge by Arsenal’s Kai Havertz on Burnley’s Lesley Ugochukwu on Monday.
