Match of the Day pundits Ellen White and Shay Given have criticised a refereeing quirk that saw a Harry Maguire handball during a Manchester United win at Old Trafford officially credited as an own goal by Jacob Greaves, rather than being penalised as a foul. The pair argued the outcome exposed a loophole in how such incidents are recorded under the laws of the game.
What actually happened during the incident?
According to the pundits’ breakdown, the ball struck Harry Maguire’s arm inside a passage of play that led directly to the ball ending up in the net, with the goal ultimately attributed to Greaves as an own goal rather than being disallowed for handball. Because the deflection technically came off the opposition player last, the scoring system logged it as a Greaves own goal rather than flagging Maguire’s contact as an offence that should have stopped play.
It’s a loophole that just doesn’t sit right with fans watching at home, one pundit suggested during the discussion.
Why are pundits and fans unhappy with the ruling?
White and Given both suggested the situation highlighted an inconsistency in how handball incidents are treated when they occur in the build-up to a goal, especially when the offending player’s team ends up benefiting from the decision. Their concern centred on whether officials and video assistant referees have enough scope to intervene when a handball technically precedes what is then logged as an opponent’s own goal, rather than being called back and punished as a deliberate or accidental infringement.
What does this mean for future officiating?
The debate reflects a broader ongoing conversation in English football about the clarity and consistency of handball interpretations under current directives, particularly when video assistant referee reviews are involved. Pundits used the Old Trafford case as a concrete example to argue that competition organisers and law-makers may need to revisit how such passages of play are assessed, so that similar outcomes do not repeat themselves in future Premier League matches.
