Manchester United defeated Crystal Palace in the Premier League at Selhurst Park, despite Jean-Philippe Mateta opening the scoring with a penalty - at the second time of asking.
Manchester United players immediately appeal to referee Robert Jones after the 'double touch' penalty.
Manchester United players immediately appeal to referee Robert Jones after the 'double touch' penalty.
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Everything you need to know about the goal Crystal Palace had disallowed against Manchester United...
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was at the centre of a controversial refereeing decision during their Premier League match against Manchester United. The centre-forward initially appeared to score a penalty, but replays revealed that he'd accidentally kicked the ball against his own standing foot, before it went into the net.
Under previous regulations, this 'double touch' would have resulted in the goal being disallowed and an indirect free-kick awarded to the defending team. However, referee Rob Jones ordered the penalty to be retaken, citing a recent update to the laws of the game.
The Premier League's Match Centre, on social media, then provided more information on the update law around 'double touch' penalties that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) introduced for the 2025/26 season to be more lenient towards accidental infringements by penalty takers. The updated law states that if a double touch is unintentional, and the ball goes into the goal, the kick must be taken again rather than penalised.
This rule change was reportedly prompted by a similar incident involving Julian Alvarez in the Champions League, which was seen as unfairly punishing a player for slipping. Sunday's match at Selhurst Park marked the first time this specific regulation has been applied in Premier League history.
United were left aggrieved as they'd become the first 'victims' of this new interpretation, which gave their opponents a second chance despite the taker's mistake. The decision caused confusion in the stadium, with many fans and pundits initially unsure why a free-kick had not been given.
Mateta composed himself for the retake and successfully scored on his second attempt - slotting the ball into the opposite corner past goalkeeper Senne Lammens. This gave Crystal Palace a 1-0 lead, although the advantage was gained under contentious circumstances.
The flashpoint has sparked a wider debate about whether or not penalty takers should be rewarded with a retake after making a mistake in their run-up. Critics reckon the new rule effectively penalises the defending team for a mistake committed by the attacker.
Despite controversy surrounding the opening goal, United managed to recover their composure and fight back in the contest. The outcome of the game was ultimately decided by later events, but the 'double touch' ruling remained the primary talking point.