Manchester United have been informed they should not have been penalised by Jean-Philippe Mateta's retaken penalty in their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday. The controversy arose when Mateta scored from the spot, but VAR ruled he had accidentally touched the ball twice, leading to a retake which he also scored.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher defended the decision, citing a rule change after Julian Alvarez's double-touch in the Champions League. However, pundit Jay Bothroyd argued that Mateta's mistake was his own fault and should not have resulted in a second chance.
The incident occurred after Leny Yoro fouled Mateta, who initially scored with Lammens diving the wrong way. Replays showed the ball touching his left foot, prompting VAR intervention. Referee Rob Jones announced the retake, stating the ball had been touched accidentally twice.
Despite the controversy, United rallied with goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount to secure the win. Manager Ruben Amorim noted that Palace's fatigue from a midweek game in France played a role in the victory.
