Dean Henderson enjoyed a very lucky escape in Saturday’s FA Cup final between Crystal Palace and Manchester City.
The Eagles took the lead against the run of play in the 16th minute when Eberechi Eze capped a fine flowing move with an adroit finish having arrived at just the right time to convert Daniel Munoz’s cross.
Palace looked relatively comfortable thereafter, until Henderson’s rush of blood to the head.
The England international goalkeeper left his penalty area with Erling Haaland threatening to latch onto a long ball and fisted the ball away from danger.
Replays showed the former Manchester United player made contact with the ball comfortably outside his 18 yard box and was extremely fortunatenot to have been sent off by referee Stuart Atwell.
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‘The VAR has had a good look at it and has decided that the direction of play was going to the wide area and therefore it is not the denial of a goalscoring opportunity,’ revealed ITV commentator Sam Matterface.
Commenting on the decision for BBC Sport, Alan Shearer hinted he felt the VAR made the correct decision, while acknowledging Henderson could easily have been given his marching order.
‘There’s no doubt that Dean Henderson touches that with his hand,’ he said. ‘It is clear to me that Erling Haaland is going away from goal.
‘The keeper was caught in two minds then. Dean Henderson nearly got done.’
Wayne Rooney, meanwhile, was far more emphatic when asked for his opinion, saying: It is a red card – 100% a red card.
‘Erling Haaland is about to knock it around him and Dean Henderson sweeps the ball away.
‘It is a red card – how can they get this wrong?’
He added: ‘Just get rid of VAR. They have made a mistake and now they are trying to cover up. It is a red card and everyone can see it’s a red card.
‘To come out with all this rubbish…’
City’s frustration with the decision was compounded 10 minutes before the interval when Henderson made a vital contribution, diving full length to save Omar Marmoush’s penalty kick.
The 28-year-old, live everyone else in the stadium, could have been forgiven for feeling surprised that he wasn’t facing Erling Haaland from 12 yards.
Henderson, however, read Marmoush’s strike perfectly, dived full-length to his right hand pushed the ball to safety.
The Palace No.1 made an arguably even better save to deny Jeremy Doku five minutes later when he leapt to his left to deny the Belgium winger who had cut in on his right foot to deliver a stinging shot that appeared destined for the top corner.