Premier League Explains Why Calvin Bassey Was Not Punished in Handball Incident vs Manchester United
- The Premier League published VAR audio and a statement after Manchester United were denied a late penalty in their 1-1 draw with Fulham
- The controversial incident involved Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey and took place in the 86th minute of the match
- Referee Peter Bankes and VAR official Nick Hopton both weighed in on the handball check, citing how close Bassey's arm was to his body
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The Premier League has published the full VAR audio and an official statement to explain why Calvin Bassey was not penalised for a handball during Fulham's 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday, September 20.
The incident took place in the 86th minute when Lisandro Martinez flicked the ball towards the Super Eagles defender, and replays appeared to show clear contact with Bassey's hand.
Source: Getty Images
According to GOAL, Man United players immediately protested, but referee Peter Bankes waved play on without hesitation.
VAR confirms Bassey handball decision
The Premier League shared the communication via their Match Centre on X, along with a brief statement:
"The referee's call of no penalty to Manchester United for a potential handball offence by Bassey was checked and confirmed by VAR."
The transcript of the conversation between Bankes, assistant referee Dan Cook, and VAR official Nick Hopton sheds light on the reasoning behind the decision.
Cook, watching from the touchline, said the ball had made contact but flagged the defender's positioning:
"It's close to his body - it has hit but his arm is close to his body."
Bankes held firm, saying simply:
"On-field decision is play on."
VAR official Hopton then completed a rapid review to determine whether a clear and obvious error had occurred, concluding:
"Arms close to his body. As seen – confirming the on-field decision to play on, exactly as described on-field."
The release of the audio represents the Premier League's effort to bring transparency to one of the weekend's most debated officiating calls.
Man United's difficult week continues
The denied penalty was far from the only talking point for Man United, who endured a frustrating afternoon at Craven Cottage.
According to The Sun, the Red Devils fell behind after Martinez turned the ball into his own net, a mistake that also eluded goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Man United did manage to level in the 89th minute through a deflected Matheus Cunha strike, but the late equaliser did little to improve the mood around the club.
A draw was enough to avoid a third straight defeat in what has been a gruelling week, yet the result leaves the Red Devils in 12th place in the Premier League table with just five points from their opening five fixtures.
That return equals the club's worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign, a record previously set during the 2014/15 season.
Man United make Carrick sack decision
In another development, Legit.ng reported about Man United’s decision to continue backing Michael Carrick despite the club’s difficult start to the Premier League season.
Carrick’s future came under fresh scrutiny after United surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to Brighton and exit the Carabao Cup.
Source: Legit.ng
