Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher appeared on Sky Sports and was asked for his two cents on a key incident from Manchester United’s match against Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest hosted Manchester United at City Ground and Sean Dyche’s men offered a real test for the in-form Red Devils side on Saturday afternoon.
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Casemiro opened the scoring with a header in the 34th minute before Ruben Amorim watched United unravel against Forest straight after the break.
Morgan Gibbs-White cancelled out Casemiro’s first-half opener in the 48th minute before Nicolo Savona stunned United two minutes later by putting Forest in the lead.
United manager Ruben Amorim was able to walk away with a Premier League point from City Ground after Amad Diallo’s long-range volley produced a United equaliser.
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Casemiro during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester United at the City Ground in Nottingham, England, in 2025.
Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Dermot Gallagher’s verdict on one Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest call after VAR did not intervene
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche was furious after the Premier League match, with Manchester United’s opener coming after a questionable call.
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Nicolo Savona was deemed to have not kept the ball in play after the Forest player tried to collect it from the line following his clearance inside the box.
United were subsequently awarded a corner and Bruno Fernandes whipped in the ball and Casemiro turned his effort past Matz Sels for the opener in the 34th minute.
Dermot Gallagher was asked why VAR did not intervene for corners and shared his feelings on Premier League referee Darren England’s verdict over the decision.
"It wouldn't take much longer for the VAR to check it!"
Jay Bothroyd and Dermot Gallagher discuss whether the VAR should be able to intervene on decisions such as the one that led to Man Utd's controversial goal against Nottingham Forest… 🔎 pic.twitter.com/i9dwmgjKhT
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 3, 2025
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Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, he said: “Why has the referee made that judgment?
“I don’t know, because if the ball does go out and he doesn’t see it, I can understand that, because he has got two goal posts there.
“He’s got a goalkeeper, he’s got Savona himself in front of him, but he’s made a judgment from 75-80 yards, incorrectly.
“You know, he’s probably thought it’s gone out, but it hasn’t. The referee, I feel, for [as deep] as that depth, you’re not going to see.
“If it hit the line like that, you wouldn’t give a goal.”
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Sky Sports pundit Jay Bothroyd has his say on the Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest corner decision after Dermot Gallagher’s remarks
Gallagher believes that Darren England made the wrong call and Sky Sports pundit Jay Bothroyd echoed the sentiments of the former Premier League referee.
“The ball’s definitely not gone out, and the fact that the linesman has made a judgment call for about, what, 70 yards,” Jay Bothroyd said.
“The referee was closer. I know he’s a bit of a different angle, but the referee was definitely closer.
“It’s just too far to say. But again, this is twice in two weeks now and I’m thinking to myself, well, there’s goal-line technology.”
He added: “Maybe that can be used across the whole byline, but then obviously, they can’t change the rules this year, but it’s definitely something they need to look at for next year, because it will cost teams ultimately.
“I think you can look at that in 10 seconds, and it will be cleared up and there will be no debate. They have enough time to look at that and make a decision.”
United will now visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday for their final Premier League match ahead of the start of the October international break.