VAR Credibility in Crisis: Nottingham Forest Fume as Premier League Issues Apology Over Eye-Opening Cunha Goal Audio
The integrity of VAR in the Premier League has once again been thrust into the spotlight after one of the most baffling officiating decisions of the season left Nottingham Forest furious — and the Premier League scrambling to issue an apology.
The explosive controversy unfolded at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon as Manchester United hosted Nottingham Forest, with referee Michael Salisbury at the centre of a decision that has sent shockwaves across English football. In what became the defining moment of the match, United’s Matheus Cunha restored the Red Devils’ lead in remarkable and deeply contentious circumstances — with Bryan Mbeumo appearing to control the ball with his arm before teeing up the Brazilian, who expertly finished past goalkeeper Matz Sels. [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/premier-league-statement-cunha-goal-man-utd-nottingham-forest/)
What made the situation even more extraordinary was not just the on-field decision, but the chain of events that followed. The goal was initially given on the pitch, and a mandatory VAR review subsequently took place. However, much to the disbelief of many watching, referee Salisbury stuck to the original decision and announced that the goal would stand — ruling the handball as “accidental.” [SPORTbible](https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news/man-utd/gary-neville-man-utd-var-nottingham-forest-837905-20260517)
The decision directly contradicts the laws of the game as set out by IFAB. The law clearly states that a handball offence is committed if a player “scores a goal against the other team with their hand/arm, or scores immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm, even if the touch was accidental.” [SPORTbible](https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news/man-utd/gary-neville-man-utd-var-nottingham-forest-837905-20260517) Despite this, the goal stood — a ruling that has left football fans, pundits, and Nottingham Forest incensed.
The reaction from the commentary box was immediate and ferocious. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville delivered a scathing criticism on Sky Sports, saying: “That’s an absolute shocker in every single way. Manchester United celebrate, Cunha’s doing a samba in front of the Stretford End, but honestly, that is ridiculous.” He further expressed his disbelief, adding: “The VAR have been quite clear to the referee, the referee has gone over to that screen and overruled VAR. I can’t believe what I’ve just seen — for me, that is a handball.” [Tribuna.com](https://tribuna.com/en/news/2026-05-17-an-absolute-shocker-gary-neville-blasts-var-decision-in-man-united-win-over-forest/)
Following the uproar, the Premier League released an official statement addressing the incident [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/premier-league-statement-cunha-goal-man-utd-nottingham-forest/) , which was accompanied by the release of eye-opening VAR audio that shed damning light on the breakdown in communication between officials. The audio has only deepened questions about the consistency, transparency, and overall credibility of the VAR system in the top flight.
The incident adds major fuel to the raging fire surrounding refereeing consistency in England’s top flight, particularly coming in the wake of separate controversies that have blighted the latter stages of the season. [CaughtOffside](https://www.caughtoffside.com/2026/05/17/gary-neville-man-united-var-controversy-nottingham-forest-cunha-goal/)
For Nottingham Forest, this is not the first time they have found themselves at the sharp end of a contentious VAR ruling. The club has previously been vocal in demanding greater transparency from officials, and Sunday’s episode has reignited those calls with fresh urgency. United eventually held on to win 3-2 in a chaotic, end-to-end encounter, but no matter the final scoreline, the controversial refereeing decision was guaranteed to be the main talking point. [CaughtOffside](https://www.caughtoffside.com/2026/05/17/gary-neville-man-united-var-controversy-nottingham-forest-cunha-goal/)
As the Premier League prepares for the off-season, the VAR debate rages on with no clear resolution in sight. For Nottingham Forest — and indeed for the wider footballing public — an apology, however well-intentioned, is simply not enough. The game deserves better.
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*The Premier League and PGMOL have been contacted for further comment.*