RIO FERDINAND insists Granit Xhaka’s goal should not have stood in Arsenal’s victory over Manchester United.
The Gunners, who won 3-1, had led Manchester United 2-0 thanks to first half goals from Nuno Tavares and Bukayo Saka.
David De Gea’s view of Granit Xhaka’s goal was obscured Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Rio Ferdinand insists the goal should not have been allowed Credit: Getty However, Cristiano Ronaldo, with his 100th Premier League strike, pulled one back for United before the break.
Bruno Fernandes then missed a penalty as the visitors desperately attempted to get level, but those hopes were ended by Xhaka with twenty minutes remaining.
Mohamed Elneny stole possession from Fernandes before the ball fell to the Swiss midfielder, and he produced a rocket from 25 yards that flew straight into the net.
However, replays showed United keeper David De Gea’s view was obscured by Eddie Nketiah, who was in an offside position, but VAR allowed the goal to stand.
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Sancho impresses in Arsenal defeat but Fernandes endures torrid game Even though the Arsenal forward was not directly in front of De Gea, fuming Ferdinand argued on BT Sport that the strike should have been ruled out.
He said: “He is offside. I think it’s a great strike, don’t get me wrong. He hit it like an arrow.
“But if you go back to that shot where De Gea is looking around the player, he’s definitely meddling in the game. He is in an offside position. De Gea leans around him, it must be given.
“He fits perfectly with De Gea, he reaches around to look. The first player before him is Nketiah.
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“It doesn’t matter if he gets close or not, he has to lean around a player who is offside.”
However, former Premier League referee Peter Walton says VAR was unable to determine whether it was Nketiah or United’s Victor Lindelof that blocked De Gea’s view of Xhaka.
Walton said: “The offence is committed if the opponent interferes with the keeper’s line of sight and vision and you can say he is looking around.
“But you can argue that Victor Lindelof is there too and I think there’s an angle where you can see him starting to look around and it’s Lindelof who when the ball is struck is Lindelof or Nketiah?
“The VAR has looked at it from different sides and determined that it is Lindelof who defends the goal instead of Nketiah and so the goal stands.
“There’s a line of thought that says it was Nketiah, but if you’re looking for that clear-cut evidence with the VAR they must have that they’re right.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
