NOTTINGHAM FOREST’s Morgan Gibbs-White stirred a huge controversy over Manchester United’s FA Cup winner by posting a double image.
The winger’s picture combined Casemiro’s last-gasp clincher with Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed effort for Liverpool in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
Morgan Gibbs-White posted this combined image, with Man Utd’s winner from Casemiro above Liverpool’s disallowed goal at Wembley
The two freeze-frame shots captured Casemiro and VVD in similar “offside” positions before deadball deliveries.
And agitated fans flooded onto social media with their verdicts on Gibbs-White’s Instagram post.
Casemiro’s goal was allowed because team-mate Raphael Varane was adjudged NOT to be blocking any relevant Forest player.
In contrast, Van Dijk’s effort was erased as his Liverpool colleague Wataru Endo was ruled to have impeded Chelsea defender Levi Colwill.
But many Forest fans claimed it was “blatant inconsistency”.
And even this measured explanation online didn’t stop a cascade of criticism: “Blocking is only an offside offence if it stops a player who can challenge. Varane isn’t blocking a player who could get involved.”
Some viewers reckon Forest were wrongly denied at least extra time as United sneaked through to a home quarter-final tie with Liverpool.
One fan said of the two goals: “One difference… one is against United. Was never going to get it.”
AFPGibbs-White sparked debate online over Casemiro’s last-gasp goal[/caption]
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Another wrote: “@FA_PGMOL… more inconsistent performance for your lot.”
A third hit out: “Legit was thinking this the entire time they’re showing the replay. Commentators jumping through hoops to ‘well this is totally different, see how he’s in the middle of the group this time?’”
And a fourth summed up the view of those aggrieved that Casemiro’s decisive header was awarded.
He argued: “How can you prepare when there is such blatant inconsistency?”
But other observers backed referee Chris Kavanagh for allowing the goal – which sparked a six-minute delay ahead of stoppage time, mainly for VAR.
One such viewer wrote: “United blocked a player nowhere near Casimero.”
Another simply claimed: “One affected play, one didn’t.”
And a few fans wondered if Gibbs-White could be in hot water for his Instagram intervention – even though he he wrote no words and let the picture do all the talking.
“Could he get sanctioned by this?” asked one supporter.
There was also a batch of Forest fans who were more upset about one of their heroes whining than whether the goal was legitimate.
One said: “Frustrated as well but don’t love our best players complaining on social media after a hard loss.”
A second agreed: “Instead of crying every time a decision goes against us why don’t we start taking responsibility and defend set pieces better.”
As for the bigger picture – Liverpool and Van Dijk could happily put the debate about their offside saga behind them, unlike Forest with theirs.
That’s because, whereas Nuno Espirito Santo’s men crashed out of the FA Cup, VVD himself popped up with the only goal of the weekend Wembley showpiece against Chelsea… in the 118th minute.
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