The game ended in a thrilling 3-2 win for United under Michael Carrick, with Casemiro heading home from a free-kick (after an initial penalty was overturned by VAR), Matheus Cunha doubling the lead, and substitute Benjamin Sesko sealing it in stoppage time after Fulham’s late fightback (Raul Jimenez penalty and a Kevin wondergoal). But the real talking point became Jorge Cuenca’s disallowed strike around the 65th minute, when Fulham pulled one back amid a chaotic set-piece scramble.
Fans screamed “Just look at the footage!” as replays showed Cuenca lashing in from close range after deflections, only for a lengthy VAR check to rule it out for offside—specifically catching Samuel Chukwueze marginally offside in the build-up (a few inches, per lines drawn on semi-automated tech). United supporters celebrated the call holding, but Fulham’s camp and many neutrals blasted it as harsh, with Marco Silva slamming a “horrendous, terrible decision” post-match. The delay—several minutes of players waiting awkwardly—disrupted momentum, turning what could have been 2-1 into sustained United pressure.
PGMOL’s admission came swiftly after the game, acknowledging the offside interpretation was flawed: the interfering player (Chukwueze) wasn’t deemed to have a “clear and obvious” impact under current laws, or the margin was too tight for intervention, failing the high bar for VAR overturns. Officials faced heavy criticism for poor positioning (linesman possibly unsighted initially), inexperience in applying semi-automated offside consistently, and subjective judgment that swung the flow—United held a two-goal cushion longer than perhaps deserved, contributing to their nervy but ultimately victorious finish.
This echoes broader frustrations: why do similar tight offside calls stand in some games but get chalked off in others? Consistency remains elusive, especially when United are involved—fans point to patterns of perceived grievances (like past disallowed efforts in rivalries). The error changed the match’s narrative, robbing Fulham of momentum in a comeback bid and amplifying debates on VAR’s role: meant to fix mistakes, it often creates bigger ones or endless controversy.
No VAR audio has been publicly released for this specific incident (unlike past cases like McTominay’s old disallowance), but the PGMOL statement and explanations fueled outrage. Silva and Fulham supporters demanded accountability, with calls for dropped officials or reforms to offside protocols (e.g., clearer “benefit of doubt” guidelines or faster tech integration).
United held on for three crucial points, boosting Carrick’s 100% start, but the post-match vibe was toxic—fans robbed of a cleaner contest, questions over standards in big games, and VAR once again center stage for the wrong reasons. “How was that even offside?” remains the cry. Until consistency improves and costly mistakes like this are minimized, trust erodes further. Football deserves better than this endless loop of controversy.
