The incident occurred in the 62nd minute, with the score tied at 1-1. United were building pressure after Benjamin Sesko had equalized following Palace’s early opener from Maxence Lacroix (4’). Matheus Cunha received the ball on the edge of the box, drove inside, and was brought down by Palace defender Chris Richards in a challenge that replays showed involved clear contact on the leg inside the penalty area. Cunha went to ground, and referee Chris Kavanagh waved play on despite immediate appeals from United players and the Old Trafford crowd.
VAR official Tony Harrington reviewed the incident, but after a prolonged check, the on-field decision stood — no penalty awarded. United fans erupted in fury, with boos ringing around the stadium and chants questioning the officials. The match ended 2-1 to United thanks to a late header from Sesko off a Bruno Fernandes free-kick, but the non-penalty dominated post-match discussions.
Social media exploded within minutes. Manchester United supporters flooded platforms with freeze-frames, slow-motion clips, and angry posts: “Cunha gets taken out inside the box — VAR checks it and says no? Absolute robbery” and “How is that not a penalty? Clear contact, he’s through on goal. United robbed again.” Many compared the decision to recent high-profile VAR controversies, claiming the Reds have been on the wrong end too often this season. “PGMOL at it again — consistency where?” one viral post read, garnering thousands of retweets.
Neutral observers and pundits weighed in heavily. On Sky Sports post-match, Gary Neville described it as “a stonewall penalty — the defender clips his heel, it’s inside the area, and VAR somehow misses it.” Jamie Carragher added: “These are the moments that swing games. United got the win, but they were denied a clear opportunity earlier. VAR is meant to fix this, not create more doubt.” Former referees noted the subjective elements in foul interpretation but agreed the contact warranted intervention.
United boss Michael Carrick was measured in his comments: “We can’t control decisions, but we focus on what we can. The boys showed character to come back and win.” The victory lifted United into third place, strengthening their top-four push, but the lingering frustration over the non-penalty has overshadowed the result for many supporters.
Palace fans, meanwhile, defended the call, arguing the challenge was minimal and Cunha exaggerated the fall. The result leaves Palace deeper in the relegation scrap, but the spotlight remains on the officials.
As clips of the incident continue to circulate and dominate discussions, the fury shows no signs of subsiding. Manchester United supporters are demanding answers: How does VAR miss a clear foul in a big game? Why does it feel like key decisions keep going against them? With the Premier League already under scrutiny for officiating standards, this latest controversy has only amplified calls for greater transparency — including audio releases from VAR rooms and clearer guidelines.
Old Trafford delivered drama, a comeback win, and yet another storm over VAR. The debate rages on, and for United fans, the disbelief runs deep.
