Man Utd get immediate verdict as VAR saves them against Atletico Madrid

Manchester United were able to breathe a sigh of relief after Atletico Madrid had a goal ruled out for handball in the build-up to a Johnny Cardoso strike just before the half-time interval. Full-back Marcos Llorente appeared to handle the ball during a coming together with Ayden Heaven, before finding his teammate, who found the back of the net.

While the on-field decision was originally to award the goal, Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg was instructed by VAR to head to the monitor to overturn his decision despite it appearing to be handled accidentally.

It was a call that former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg agreed with, giving an immediate verdict on commentary.

Speaking to Amazon Prime, Clattenburg said: "There's no doubt the ball does touch his hand, the action has to be deliberate because he doesn't score from that action, it's to a teammate.

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"It has to be a deliberate handball. If it's an accidental handball, the play continues, and the goal should stand. The referee has to decide is it deliberate or not?"

When asked for his view, Clattenburg added: "What the VAR have done and the referee has had a discussion over the summer, does he gain an advantage from it?

"He does because it blocks a pass for the Manchester United defender. The action, he does make a movement of his arm to the ball, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is disallowed for handball."

Speaking about the disallowed goal at half-time, former United star Ashley Young said: "That would have been a sucker punch for Manchester United. It could have gone either way, to be honest they get away with one.

"You go in one-nil down, it's better than going in two-nil down. United were partly lucky here but it's not a goal.

"You go in at half-time and talk about what you did well in that half and come out in that second half, if you get those chances you need to take them."

United went behind inside 53 seconds, after a surging run from Alex Baena into the penalty area, picking out Pablo Barrios at the far post, who fired a low drive into the back of the net, despite Heaven trying to block the shot.

The Reds defender couldn't get enough on it to keep it out of the back of the net, with the ball slowly rolling over the line past an outstretched Senne Lammens.