Michael Salisbury will not officiate on the final day of the Premier League season after his controversial decision during Manchester United’s victory over Nottingham Forest sparked major backlash.
The controversy centered around Matheus Cunha’s goal for United, which was allowed to stand despite the ball appearing to strike Bryan Mbeumo’s hand during the build-up.
Although VAR recommended a review, Salisbury rejected the advice after checking the pitchside monitor and awarded the goal anyway — a decision later admitted by Professional Game Match Officials Limited to have been incorrect.
Referees’ chief Howard Webb reportedly acknowledged to Forest that “football’s expectation” would have been for the goal to be disallowed, even if there were technical arguments around the interpretation of handball laws.
The incident became even more significant because referee overturns after VAR reviews remain rare. It was only the 17th time in seven seasons that a Premier League referee rejected VAR advice after being sent to the monitor.
Now, Salisbury’s absence from all final-day fixtures is being widely viewed as a consequence of the error — especially given the huge stakes involved in the race for European places and relegation survival.
Meanwhile, another officiating controversy continues to attract attention after VAR official James Bell was still assigned duties this weekend despite criticism over a separate incident involving Kai Havertz and Lesley Ugochukwu earlier in the week.
As pressure on referees and VAR continues to grow, the latest controversy has once again reignited debate over consistency, accountability, and trust in Premier League officiating.
