Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Bobby Vincent

Pundits agree on Bruno Fernandes' role in Edinson Cavani's goal for Manchester United vs Fulham

Graeme Souness and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink both think Edinson Cavani's wonder goal for Manchester United against Fulham should have been disallowed.

Cavani struck his 16th goal of the season for United in all competitions with a superb hit from close the halfway line, that lobbed his former Paris Saint-Germain colleague Alphonse Areola.

The goal was checked by the VAR at Old Trafford, but the Uruguayan striker looked to be in an onside position.

However, after the footage was played countless times in slow-motion, it is very difficult to make out whether Bruno Fernandes got a touch on David de Gea's initial pass.

If Fernandes did touch De Gea 's ball, then Cavani would be onside, as he came back into a legal position by the time the ball arrived at his team-mate's feet.

But if Fernandes did miss the ball completely, then the goal should have been ruled out, because Cavani was in an offside position when De Gea kicked the ball.

This is something Souness and Hasselbaink picked up on at half-time of the match at Old Trafford.

“I don’t think so (Fernandes touches the ball) and listen, it’s not conclusive, but if you watch the dot on the ball - if there was any touch on the ball, then that dot would have moved even the slightest bit," Souness said on Sky Sports.

"That solid dot, from bouncing, to going beyond Fernandes, does not deviate at all.”

Hasselbaink then added: “We have got the best technology, we can see here with the split screen that he does not touch it.

"Why does VAR not see that?”

Before Souness concluded: “It’s not VAR - VAR does see it.

"It’s the referees making that decision. It’s not VAR, VAR is the technology.

"VAR is a technology that allows referees to make better decisions and I think - not for the first time - they got that wrong.

"I don’t see the deviation on the ball’s movement at all.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.