Fulham’s manager Marco Silva was left seething over a controversial goal in their 5-1 hammering by Manchester City on Saturday.
He argued that it was “a huge mistake” and the turning point of the game.
Nathan Ake’s headed goal seconds before halftime – and with the game level at 1-1 – looked like it would be disallowed as it appeared that Manuel Akanji was offside in front of keeper Bernd Leno.
Akanji jumped to allow the ball to pass between his legs and into the net.
“That moment made a huge impact. Everyone that plays football, has some knowledge about football, are 100 per cent sure they have to disallow that.
“It’s impossible to not. It’s a clear offside, it concerns us how that goal was not disallowed.
“The more times you see that moment, the more sure you are to disallow it. Our players saw it, everyone on the pitch at that moment had the same opinion,” Silva told reporters.
The Portuguese manager had already picked up yellow cards in games against Everton, Brentford and Arsenal.
Silva waved his arms in disbelief at the officials after VAR ruled it was a goal, while his furious players stomped into the tunnel for the halftime break.
Fulham captain Tim Ream, who was on target for his team, said the goal changed the tempo of the game.
“You never want to lose a game like that.
“We had a good first half and a very much below average second half.
“We didn’t show the same aggressiveness in the second half and results like that happen,” Ream told reporters.
Erling Haaland, named UEFA Player of the Year earlier in the week, turned the game into a rout with his three second-half goals.
Manchester City’s assistant manager, Juanma Lillo, believed the goal was good, and more definitive than a controversial one Sheffield United scored against them last week.
“It’s good it happened because two similar things have happened.
“The explanation at Sheffield United we thought was offside.
“But when they gave us the explanation they said it was about being in line with the ball.
“I believe today our player was less in line than against Sheffield United,” Lillo, who is filling in for Pep Guardiola while he recovers from back surgery, told reporters.
The VAR ruling, however, was resoundingly panned on social media.
Broadcaster and former Tottenham defender, Michael Dawson, said: “I completely disagree with the decision. Completely offside, no wonder Marco Silva’s angry.
“Leno takes an extra step because he thinks Akanji is going to take an extra touch.”
NAN
