Articles by Mark Wakefield

Technology

Man United handed new Casemiro goal verdict as Alan Shearer responds to Sean Dyche VAR point

Manchester United kept their unbeaten run going against Nottingham Forest – but the game was not without controversy. United were held to a 2-2 draw with Forest in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, with Casemiro opening the scoring at the City Ground. Goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolo Savona put the home side in front in the second half before Amad Diallo rescued a point for the Reds in the closing minutes. The stalemate saw United's run of three consecutive wins in the Premier League come to an end, as Ruben Amorim's side fell to seventh place in the table. The draw wasn't without its controversy, though, particularly with the opening goal from Casemiro . United were awarded a corner after the ball was judged to be out of play, although some replays suggest some part of the ball was still in play. The Reds went on to score from the corner with a Casemiro header, which led to plenty of frustration from Forest manager Sean Dyche and the home crowd. Dyche told BBC Sport after the game why he believes VAR could be introduced to check decisions such as corner kicks, which would have prevented United from having a chance to open the scoring. Former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer, while believing that the ball did go out of play, disagreed with the need for VAR intervention. He said on Match of the Day: "Sean Dyche has got a point, I'm not sure how the assistant referee on the far side can actually see that far and be absolutely certain that the ball was out [of play]. Because it wasn't, it was nearly 70 yards away, so they can't be certain because the ball isn't out [of play]. "I agree with Sean, I understand his frustration and his anger, but I wouldn't say that we'd like to get VAR involved because the game his stopping and starting as it is. "I know he says it will only take four or five seconds, but I wouldn't encourage that. But I would encourage the officials to do their job properly and get it right and not guess, because they've guessed there and got it wrong." Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis. Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories. And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts , and you can also watch along on YouTube .