Fans believe the VAR lines were drawn over Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s foot for Haji Wright’s offside in Manchester United‘s FA Cup semi-final win over Coventry City – but officials have insisted the decision was correct.
Wright was ruled offside by a fraction after assisting Victor Torp in the 121st minute at Wembley, with Coventry thinking they had finished a generational comeback to win 4-3. Manchester United went on to win 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw.
Many felt that the marginal decision was cruel and that it ‘ruined one of the greatest FA Cup moments ever’, while others observed that VAR was simply doing its job.
However, sleuths have zoomed in on the moment Wright was ruled offside and believe the VAR lines that condemned him were drawn over Wan-Bissaka’s foot – rather than at the very end of his boot.
However, a source close to the PGMOL confirmed to Mail Sport that the decision was correct.
The decision to rule Haji Wright offside after he assisted Coventry City’s ‘winner’ against Man United on Sunday proved controversial
Fans believe the VAR lines were drawn over Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s boot for the offside call against Wright
VAR ruled Coventry’s extra-time winner in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final marginally offside (pictured: the VAR decision system replaying the incident)
The source explained that the line was not drawn over Wan-Bissaka’s foot as social media commenters had speculated. His foot being close to or on the ground may have given that impression.
So fine were the margins that Coventry boss Mark Robins joked Wright would have been considered onside had he cut his toenails.
‘They drew the lines over Wan-Bissakas toes to make the Coventry player offside. Robbed of an all time classic FA Cup moment,’ one fan claimed on X, formerly Twitter.
‘This is not what football is about. VAR ruined one of the greatest FA Cup moments ever. A toenail offside. Give me a break. Coventry should be in the final. Utterly pathetic,’ one viewer fumed.
Another added: ‘VAR kills all the joy of sport. Coventry robbed of one of the greatest moments in their history because Wright’s toenail was offside.’
One fan said: ‘A classic example of an offside call that didn’t exist before VAR – the solution to a problem that no one felt needed solving.’
Manchester United had been 3-0 up and cruising towards a second FA Cup final in a row.
Goals from Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire, and Bruno Fernandes had given Erik ten Hag’s side a commanding lead.
Wan-Bissaka had a tricky day, giving away a penalty late in regular time to let Coventry equalise
Victor Torp thought he had scored the decider for Coventry against United in the 121st minute of the FA Cup semi-final
The Red Devils advanced to the FA Cup final on penalties and set up a repeat of last year’s showpiece against Manchester City
But Coventry had other ideas up their sleeve and a goal from Ellis Simms before a widly deflected strike from Callum O’Hare set up a nervy end.
And after Wan-Bissaka was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area, Wright stepped up in the 95th minute to slam home, make it 3-3, and take a pulsating match into extra-time.
Coventry had their chances to steal glory in extra-time – Wright dragged a shot wide of the post and Simms hit the bar after working some space in the box.
But Torp’s disallowed winner is the moment that broke the hearts of Coventry fans, before they were broken again for good measure in a 4-2 penalty shoot-out defeat.
Some United fans had already exited Wembley after seeing what they thought was the winning goal and were filmed dashing back inside as the game went to penalties.
In the aftermath, Ten Hag insisted that blowing a 3-0 lead and only scraping through against a Championship penalties was not an ’embarrrassment’ for his expensively assembled outfit.
‘We have reached two finals in two years and that is a huge achievement,’ he said. ‘I see the mistakes we make. You can’t avoid them. But it’s not an embarrassment, it’s a huge achievement.
‘We can play at very high levels but in same match we can go to very low levels and it’s not explainable. It’s about game management, responsibility and decision making.
Erik ten Hag insisted it was not an ’embarrassment’ that his side only just scraped through
‘We have to do better in these occasions. On several occasions like this we let the result slip away but today we got away with it. I don’t think heads dropped but we had many setbacks and maybe our reaction is human but it’s not acceptable. When you are in control you should win easily.
‘We can’t say this group doesn’t have the right mentality because they showed character today, but in the final part there was a lack of discipline. This season has had many ups but also many downs.
‘Winning the FA Cup doesn’t make the season successful. We want to win more. I have mixed feelings and there are mixed feelings in the dressing room.
‘First you have to put yourself in a winning position but then you have to take it over the line. In these moments we are making mistakes and not sticking to our responsibilities.’
United will play Manchester City in the final on May 25. It is the first time the same two teams have contested successive FA Cup finals since 1885.
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