Bournemouth caretaker boss Gary O’Neil labelled the goal a ‘f****** disgrace’ (Picture: Sky Sports)
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has explained why West Ham’s controversial volleyball-style goal was allowed to stand on Monday.
The Hammers defeated Bournemouth 2-0 in the Premier League but there was mass confusion over why Kurt Zouma’s opener was not ruled out by VAR following a check as the ball clearly hit Thilo Kehrer’s hands in the build-up.
Bournemouth players and fans were furious with the decision, while caretaker boss Gary O’Neil was booked for telling referee David Coote it was a ‘f****** disgrace’ after the goal was checked – and allowed – by VAR official Mike Dean.
Speaking after the match, O’Neil said: ‘There was a foul in the build-up [to the first goal] and it’s a blatant handball, his hands move towards the ball and change the flight of it.
‘I’m not surprised because it’s getting ridiculous. We’ve had 10 VAR checks since I took charge and not one has gone our way.
‘The first goal cannot stand. It’s impossible for me that it’s a goal. His arm moves towards the ball and it impacted where the ball was going.
‘I can’t understand how that would be given as his hand is in an unnatural position as it moved towards the ball.
‘I also think there was a foul in the build-up to it as well which was more subtle.
‘I spoke to the Premier League about the Jefferson Lerma foul on Aleksandar Mitrovic against Fulham [earlier this month] and the information I received was that Lerma impeded Mitrovic without looking at the ball.
‘If you watch Flynn Downes, he impedes Marcos Senesi by putting his arm over him while looking in the complete opposite direction of the ball.
‘With the handball, I can’t even believe we have to discuss it. It’s handball 100 times out of 100. I’m really surprised.’
Gallagher, though, has explained why Zouma’s goal was allowed to stand despite the decision being widely mocked on social media.
‘With the law set up as it is now, there are three questions,’ Gallagher said. ‘Did Kehrer score? No. Did it result in an immediate goal from a colleague? No.
‘And the third thing is, the only way you could disallow it is if it was deliberate hand ball.
‘It went to Mike Dean’s VAR. He had a look, he said it hit him [Kehrer] but he thought it was accidental – and therefore the referee can’t disallow the goal.
‘If Kehrer had scored himself obviously it would’ve been disallowed. If it had gone immediately to Soucek and he’d put the ball in the net, also disallowed.
‘That’s why it defaulted to the third option.’
West Ham return to Premier League action on Sunday when they travel to face Manchester United.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, host Tottenham on Saturday.
MORE : The Hammers are Zoum-ing but Cherries left fuming after VAR rulings
MORE : Ex-Premier League referee reveals why Chelsea did not get a penalty vs Man Utd
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Gary O’Neil labelled it a ‘f****** disgrace’…