PL explain why Sesko's controversial goal for Man Utd vs Liverpool was allowed

Manchester United v Liverpool - Premier League

Manchester United’s high-stakes clash with Liverpool was ignited by a moment of massive VAR controversy at Old Trafford. Benjamin Sesko doubled the Red Devils' lead in the first half, but only after a lengthy review regarding a potential handball left fans and players alike waiting in suspense. The Premier League have released a statement explaining why the goal was allowed to stand.

Controversy erupts at Old Trafford

United raced into a dominant position early in their crucial Premier League encounter with Liverpool, but it was Sesko’s 10th goal of the season that provided the game's biggest talking point.

After Matheus Cunha had opened the scoring inside six minutes, Sesko found the net just eight minutes later to put United 2-0 up in a frantic start to the match.

The goal came after Bruno Fernandes worked space on the right side of the penalty area and flicked a dangerous ball into the six-yard box. Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman lunged to intercept but could only slap the ball into Sesko’s path. The ball struck the striker’s legs before bouncing up toward his chest and eventually bobbling over the goal line, sparking immediate protests from the visiting side.

Manchester United v Liverpool - Premier League

VAR takes center stage

Match official Stuart Attwell, acting as the VAR, was tasked with determining whether the ball had made contact with Sesko's hand or arm before crossing the line.The review lasted approximately three minutes as officials pored over several different broadcast angles.

While some replays suggested no contact, other angles appeared to show the ball brushing against the forward's fingers as it moved toward his chest.

Despite the prolonged check and the ambiguity of the footage, the goal was eventually upheld, allowing the Old Trafford faithful to celebrate a two-goal cushion.

Premier League clarifies the decision

To provide clarity on the incident, the Premier League Match Centre released a statement on X explaining why the goal was not overturned. The league official channel confirmed that the bar for intervention had not been met by the video evidence available to the officiating team during the high-pressure moment.

The Premier League’s Match Centre said: “The referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed there was no conclusive evidence that Sesko handled the ball before scoring.”

Manchester United v Liverpool - Premier League

Liverpool fight back before Mainoo winner

While the Sesko goal stood to give United a 2-0 lead at the break, the drama was far from over. Liverpool emerged for the second half with renewed intensity, quickly finding their way back into the contest. Dominik Szoboszlai pulled a goal back for the Reds shortly after the restart, shifting the momentum back in favour of the Merseysiders.

The comeback was completed in the 56th minute when Cody Gakpo found the equaliser, However United ultimately secured the victory, with Kobbie Mainoo netting the decisive winner in the 77th minute. The goal sealed a hard-fought triumph, lifting United to 64 points and cementing their spot in third place in the Premier League standings, while confirming their qualification for next season's Champions League.