Rijo Sam Daniel
Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick hits out at Anthony Taylor for controversial FA Cup decision
Speaking in the post-match press conference (h/t Manchester United official website), Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick expressed his discontent towards referee Anthony Taylor for allowing Middlesbrough’s goal to stand.
The moment of controversy occurred in the second half when the visitor’s equalising goal was allowed to stand despite there being a handball in the buildup. The decision eventually turned out to be decisive as the visitors caused a massive upset by winning the tie 8-7 on penalty shootouts.
Man United put on a fantastic first-half display but failed to take their chances, scoring just once in the half. Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty won by Paul Pogba and several players were guilty of missing gilt-edged opportunities to put the game beyond sight.
As long as the score stated 1-0, Middlesbrough always had an opportunity and they eventually took it. Video replays showed clearly that Duncan Watmore handled the ball before assisting Matt Crooks for the equaliser. Incredibly, it was allowed to stand despite a VAR check.
Rangnick conveyed his disbelief about the goal being allowed to stand despite video intervention. He was adamant that the referee could have seen it himself without the intervention of VAR, to begin with. While the technology appears to be working fine, the people operating it appear to lack the necessary objectivity to make the right call.
“In the end, the goal should never have been given. It’s incredible that it stood. I would not have needed VAR, it should have been seen by the referee [anthony taylor] himself but the VAR should not have given the goal. As far as I know, the referee and the VAR decided that it was not intentional, it was coincidental. How can it be coincidental if the hand is up there and the ball is touching his hand and he controlled the ball with his hand?”
Rules should make sense
Apparently, the goal was allowed to stand because of the changes made to the handball rule for the 2021-22 season. The Premier League official website states that “If an attacking player’s accidental handball immediately precedes another player scoring, the goal will now be awarded when last season it was likely to have been ruled out”.
If it is purely based on the rules, then the decision taken by the ref and VAR is the right one. However, if logic or common sense is applied in this scenario, the so-called guidelines are put to shame. It was clear as daylight that Watmore’s handball changed the ball’s trajectory and enabled him to set up Crooks for the leveller.
Without Watmore’s hand coming into play, the ball would have gotten away from him. The entire point of penalising a handball is that players cannot use illegal means to gain an advantage over their opponents. However, that is exactly what happened in this case, and we are the ones who have suffered.
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There should always be room for individual input into such scenarios, as rules when followed to the word do not always make sense. Let’s hope that the officials will consider this situation and make changes to their guidelines in the future. After all, we would not want to be on the receiving end of another one of these goals.
While Rangnick’s anger is justified, Man United ultimately have only themselves to blame for the loss. Given the chances created, the game should have been out of Middlesbrough’s reach by halftime, let alone the hour mark. It is not just the referees who need to have a good look in the mirror after yesterday night’s performance.
