Premier League addresses Fulham handball controversy which left Michael Carrick fuming

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Manchester United escaped from Craven Cottage with a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Fulham on Sunday.

Matheus Cunha spared Michael Carrick’s blushes, but the Red Devils put in another lethargic display, with the hosts outrunning them with ease.

It has become a theme this season to see United struggle throughout the 90 minutes and it was no exception.

They did create a few chances, and the post saved the Cottagers a couple of times but the overall performance remains a concern.

VAR call

There was a moment of controversy in the second half when Lisandro Martinez tried to clip the ball over the Fulham backline, only for the ball to strike Calvin Bassey’s hand.

United players rushed to the referee, but after a VAR check, play continued, much to the frustration of Carrick.

Premier League Match Centre uploaded the transcript from the game to their X (formerly Twitter) page. It read: “The referee’s call of no penalty to Manchester United for a potential handball offence by Bassey was checked and confirmed by VAR.

“AR1: ‘It’s close to his body – it has hit but his arm is close to his body’. REF: ‘On-field decision is play on’. VAR: ‘Arms close to his body. As seen – confirming the on-field decision to play on, exactly as described on-field’.”

No luck for United

Luck seems to have deserted the 20-time English league champions, as the Manchester City controversy showed. Gary Neville admitted that Fulham were lucky not to be penalised.

“It’s strange for a defender to put their hands up, because they know the referee will have to make a decision. Bassey is asking for trouble,” he told Sky Sports.

United did not deserve to win the game, but such moments often can change the trajectory of a club’s season.