Manchester United’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest last weekend continues causing controversy across the Premier League.
The match already attracted huge debate after Forest players and supporters reacted furiously to one key moment during the second half.
The second goal of Manchester United stood despite strong appeals for handball in the build-up.
Matheus Cunha eventually scored the goal after Bryan Mbeumo appeared to handle the ball before the finish.
Referee Michael Salisbury initially allowed the goal to stand on the pitch. VAR officials later advised Salisbury to review the incident on the monitor.
However, the referee still decided not to overturn the goal despite replays creating major controversy online.
Now, reports suggest the Premier League have responded to the situation ahead of the final weekend of the season.
According to the Mirror, Michael Salisbury has not been selected to officiate any Premier League fixture on Sunday following the controversial Manchester United decision.
The report also claims Professional Game Match Officials Limited chief Howard Webb contacted Nottingham Forest after the match.
Webb reportedly acknowledged that many people inside football expected the goal to be disallowed after the review.
English referees traditionally apply a more lenient interpretation of handball compared to several other leagues around Europe.
However, PGMO likely expected the referee to overturn the on-field decision after reviewing the incident.
Salisbury already handled only 13 Premier League matches this season, far fewer than senior referees like Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor.
Oliver will now oversee Tottenham’s crucial clash against Everton during the final round of fixtures.
Meanwhile, Anthony Taylor received the important relegation battle between West Ham United and Leeds United.
Now, after several controversial decisions during recent weeks, scrutiny surrounding Premier League officiating continues increasing heading into the final day of the season.
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