Nottingham Forest were left furious after a VAR decision chalked off a Neco Williams goal in their Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur. The match at the City Ground ended 0-0, a result that leaves Forest 16th in the table with two points from three games. BBC Sport Football first reported the story.
Manager Oliver Glasner claimed the video assistant referee was merely "guessing" when he intervened to overturn the 67th-minute strike. Referee Craig Pawson had initially awarded the goal before VAR Peter Bankes advised him to review the incident for a possible handball by Williams. After watching the monitor, Pawson disallowed the effort.
Glasner was scathing in his assessment after the final whistle. He referenced a pre-season briefing for officials that demanded a high threshold for VAR intervention, arguing this incident did not meet it. "I watched five or six different angles and, to be fair, from one angle you can guess that the ball touched the arm because the shirt moves a little bit, but it's not clear is it the ball or [Sandro] Tonali on the goalline," Glasner said. He insisted VAR should only step in when an error is 100% clear and stated he believed the goal should have stood.
The Premier League's official match centre later explained the decision on social media platform X. It stated Williams had handled the ball immediately before scoring, which under the current rules mandates disallowance even if the contact is accidental. The key judgement for the VAR was whether definitive proof existed that the ball touched the arm, a point Glasner and Williams strongly contested.
The Welsh full-back was adamant he did not use his hand. "It's a goal," Williams told reporters described the ball hitting his head and claimed he headed it in between his arms. Williams argued the decision was not based on a clear and obvious error, which is the supposed standard for VAR reviews. "I never thought I handballed it," he added.
The controversy overshadowed a match where Forest created chances but failed to score for the second game running. They have netted just twice this season while conceding three, giving them a -1 goal difference. Their next challenge is a trip to face Aston Villa, who are 17th, on September 12th.
The single point keeps Forest in the bottom half of the standings, already seven points adrift of early leaders Manchester City. Their form reads DDL from the opening three fixtures. The team is also dealing with an absence, as attacker Nicolò Savona is currently sidelined. The latest squad availability is listed on our injuries page.
This incident recalled a different handball ruling from earlier in the season, when Harry Maguire's goal for Manchester United against Ipswich was allowed. In that case, the shot was going wide before a deflection, making the application of the rule distinct. For Forest, the focus now shifts to preparing for the Villa match and finding the attacking spark that has been missing. The club faces Aston Villa at Villa Park on September 12th.
