When Arsenal scored their first goal against United last night, it was quite an obvious decision to stop the game when the referee, Martin Atkinson saw De Gea down on the ground. Old Trafford was unwittingly relaxed thinking it to be a foul on De Gea and thereby assuming the goal would have been cancelled. But it turned out to be quite a bizarre situation indeed! The goal was given as it was Fred who had stepped on De Gea’s ankle, and not any Arsenal player.

What should rightly have been done in this situation? Was it the referee’s mistake? Did De Gea try to be too clever, in assuming the referee would see it as a foul, before the ball went in?

I think he did. The referee in my opinion, was right to award the goal. From his position, he could not have possibly seen the foul on De Gea, before the goal went in. Looking back, De Gea would be wondering if it was indeed necessary to go down so easily. I mean, it was Fred who stepped on his ankle and not Adebayo Akinfenwa!! I would love to hear what Roy Keane has to say about De Gea after last night!

Arsenal are well within their rights to claim the goal since it was not a foul by one of their players. There were some after-game arguments about sportsmanship and upholding the spirit of the game. I mean, come on! In this dogged race for the title and the Top-4, Arsenal cannot be too gracious to sportingly not claim the goal. Would United have done the same in a similar situation?

Imagine Ramsdale going down in his box, and the ball in Arsenal’s net. Would United still claim the goal? Old Trafford and the United players would be right on the referee, if somehow this ‘hypothetical’ goal had been chalked off.