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Nani Controversy Helps United To Victory Over Tottenham

Another victory under out belts that makes it three in a row. Yesterday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur was arguably the biggest test we have faced so far this season. A team on a high and a team with plenty of attacking talent but thanks to Captain Nemanja Vidic and a controversial Nani clincher the three points are ours taking us level with Arsenal on 20 points but still five behind leaders Chelsea.

However the major talking point in the match was Nani’s goal, a goal that Spurs boss Harry Redknapp felt shouldn’t have stood, “What a farcical way to finish the game. I thought it was a scandalous decision,” Redknapp stated.

“Everyone has seen the handball except the referee. Nani should have been booked, it was a deliberate handball.

“All the players saw it so they thought it was a free-kick, the assistant referee saw it and put his flag up.

“In the end they will come up with some excuse. They will go in there now and come up with a story that makes it all look right.

“Of course the linesman saw it. If he hasn’t then what has he got his flag up for? To say it wasn’t legal.

“If the referee has let play go on he should have been telling Gomes straight away.

“It was as much of a farce as when he disallowed Pedro Mendes’ goal a few years ago.” He concluded

Strong words from the opposition manager and as you would imagine Sir Alex Ferguson had a completely opposite view, “At the time I had absolutely no idea what had happened!” the boss stated

“We appealed for the penalty and didn’t get it and as Nani fell the ball hit his hand and went into the goalkeeper’s arms. At that point the goalkeeper’s got control of the ball and the referee said to play on.

“The linesman didn’t flag until after the goal was scored and I’ve still no idea why. The referee didn’t blow his whistle at all and Nani actually looked at him to check. He said play on, so Nani put the ball in the net.

“The goalkeeper should know better. He’s an experienced player and made a bit of a mess of it. You’ve got to play to the whistle, but he put the ball down thinking he was going to take a free-kick and, of course, it wasn’t.

“The goal should definitely have stood because the referee has played on. It’s the linesman and goalkeeper who have made the biggest mistakes,” He Finished.

Well when Nani made his way into the box he was clearly being held by Kaboul and subsequently went down, admittedly a little theatrically.

With no penalty given the Portuguese then grabbed the ball, so yes this is an infringement of the Laws of the Game and technically he should have been booked, plus Spurs awarded a free-kick.

But it gets even more complicated, Gomes in the Spurs goal then picked up the ball and thus the advantage now rests with the away side, so no free-kick is needed as Spurs were being given the advantage.

Then after Nani had put the ball in the net, Spurs appealed to the linesman for the handball, but no whistle had been blown to indicate a free-kick/handball/penalty so to me, Gomes made a huge mistake and it cost his side.

The moral of the story… always play to the whistle.