NOTTINGHAM FOREST VS MANCHESTER UNITED COULD BE REPLAYED AFTER PGMOL ADMITS CONTROVERSIAL GOAL SHOULD NEVER HAVE STOOD

The Premier League has been thrown into complete chaos after PGMOL chief Howard Webb reportedly contacted Nottingham Forest to admit Manchester United’s controversial second goal at Old Trafford should NEVER have counted — and furious Forest fans are now demanding “serious consequences”, with some even calling for the match to be replayed.

What was already one of the most heated VAR controversies of the season has now exploded into a full-blown football storm.

Forest suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat against Manchester United on Sunday, but the result is now being questioned after officials acknowledged a massive error was made during the build-up to Matheus Cunha’s goal.

The incident happened midway through the second half when Bryan Mbeumo appeared to clearly handle the ball before it eventually fell to Cunha, who smashed home to restore United’s lead.

VAR official Matt Donohue reportedly advised referee Michael Salisbury to overturn the goal after a lengthy review. But in a stunning twist, Salisbury rejected the VAR recommendation after checking the pitchside monitor himself and allowed the goal to stand anyway.

And now comes the bombshell.

According to multiple reports, Howard Webb personally contacted Nottingham Forest on Monday and admitted the officials got the decision WRONG. PGMOL reportedly accepts that the goal should have been disallowed for handball.

That admission has sent social media into absolute meltdown.

Forest supporters immediately flooded X, Facebook and Reddit demanding accountability, with many claiming the club were “robbed” of a potentially crucial point. Others even began discussing whether the game should be replayed — although there is currently no indication from the Premier League that such action is being considered.

One furious supporter posted:

> “If they admit they got it wrong, how can the result stand?”

Another wrote:

> “Apologies don’t give Forest the points back.”

Meanwhile, Reddit discussions exploded with debates over the handball law itself, with some fans insisting the officials applied the rule incorrectly while others argued the goal violated the “spirit of football.”

Even former players and pundits were left stunned by the decision.

Gary Neville reportedly described the incident as “a shocker”, while Alan Shearer labelled it “disgraceful” during post-match analysis.

Forest boss Vitor Pereira did not hide his anger either.

Speaking after the match, the Portuguese coach blasted the inconsistency surrounding handball decisions and suggested the incident effectively decided the game.

“For me, it was handball, very clear,” Pereira said. “It is sad not to cancel the goal. For me, it was the decision that decided the game.”

Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White also admitted players were shocked the goal survived the VAR review.

“From where I was standing, it looked like handball,” he reportedly said after the match.

What has made the controversy even worse is the fact this was not a simple missed incident.

VAR actually identified the possible handball and sent Salisbury to the monitor. The referee simply chose to stick with his original decision — something that has only happened a handful of times this season.

That detail has led many fans to accuse officials of creating confusion around VAR consistency.

Some Manchester United supporters have defended the goal by pointing to the Premier League’s more lenient interpretation of accidental handballs in attacking phases. But even Howard Webb reportedly admitted that, based on football expectation and the advantage gained, the safer and more correct outcome would have been to disallow the goal.

The fallout could now become massive for PGMOL.

This is not the first time Nottingham Forest have publicly complained about officiating decisions. Last season the club famously released an explosive statement accusing VAR officials of bias after controversial calls in a defeat to Everton, leading to a huge fine from the FA.

Now many Forest fans believe history is repeating itself.

Social media has been dominated by accusations that smaller clubs are being punished by inconsistent officiating while bigger teams continue benefiting from “soft decisions”.

Others have pointed out the dangerous precedent being created by repeated PGMOL apologies after matches are already decided.

Because while apologies may calm headlines temporarily… they do absolutely nothing to change the result.

And that is exactly why the “replay the match” narrative has started gaining traction online.

To be clear, Premier League matches are almost never replayed because of officiating mistakes alone. Replays are generally only considered under extraordinary circumstances involving rule breaches or external interference rather than subjective refereeing decisions.

Still, that hasn’t stopped supporters from demanding “historic punishment” after another humiliating VAR controversy.

For Manchester United, the victory secured another dramatic win at Old Trafford during an impressive late-season run under Michael Carrick. Bruno Fernandes also equalled the Premier League assist record during the match as United edged Forest in a chaotic five-goal thriller.

But instead of celebrating football, everyone is once again talking about referees.

And for Nottingham Forest fans, Howard Webb’s reported apology may have only made things worse.

Because now, in their eyes, the Premier League has officially admitted they were robbed.