Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has dropped his verdict on a “really interesting decision” in Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Rasmus Hojlund fired Manchester United into a first-half lead at Villa Park after being picked out by Harry Maguire’s header following Bruno Fernandes’ corner.
However, Aston Villa fans felt they were hard done in the build-up for Hojlund’s opener after a potential offside decision was not flagged by the match officials.
Luke Shaw swung a free-kick into the box and Manchester United teammate Raphael Varane headed the ball into the path of Clement Lenglet for major a deflection.
United were subsequently awarded a corner kick, which Hojlund would score from, but Casemiro appeared to be in an offside position during the dangerous free-kick.
Casemiro attempted to win the ball before it found Varane, but no action was taken against the United star, despite his best efforts to connect with Shaw’s free-kick.
The assistant referee did not raise the flag for offside during the incident, nor did VAR intervene when the ball went out of play.
Dermot Gallagher was quizzed about the controversial moment in the Premier League contest, with the ex-referee explaining where he stood on the decision.
Gallagher on Aston Villa vs Man Utd controversy
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, Dermot Gallagher said VAR “can’t check” the controversy and it was an “on-field decision” between the referee and the assistant.
He believes Manchester United were rightfully awarded a corner, saying that he doesn’t think Casemiro’s attempted intervention impacted the Villa players’ ability to play the ball.
However, Gallagher did admit that VAR could have intervened if the ball had landed in the back of the net from Luke Shaw’s free-kick.
“This is a really interesting decision,” he said.
“Casemiro is in an offside position. Does he affect the Villa players’ ability to play the ball?
“Look at who plays the ball – it’s actually Varane. Varane heads the ball onto Lenglet and it goes out for a corner.
“Because it goes out for a corner, VAR can’t check, so it has to be the on-field decision.
“If it’s going to be offside, it has to be given by the assistant and the referee, which it wasn’t, so it has to be a corner.
“The debate is does he impact on the Villa players’ ability to play the ball? I don’t think he does.
“The law says he’s got to be able to play that ball. The assistant is hamstrung by the law because he doesn’t play the ball.
“It goes so far above Casemiro’s head that he’s told not to flag. The only thing I can say in his defence is that it doesn’t go into the net, so VAR can’t send someone to look at it because it’s a subjective offside.”
Stephen Warnock reacts to Gallagher’s verdict
Stephen Warnock was in the studio with Gallagher and the former Liverpool defender disagreed with his position on the controversy involving Casemiro.
The 42-year-old ex-England international insisted that Casemiro was “active” in the play and he “definitely impacts” the play, saying he is in the Villa players’ “line of vision.”
“He definitely impacts. He’s in their line of vision,” Warnock said in response to Gallagher.
“If you watch the two players as it comes over, they duck down a bit to go and head the ball.
“I think he impacts it; I really do. I think they think he’s going to get a flick.
“He’s in the middle of the box. He’s active.”
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