Sports05 September, 20262 min read
Neco Williams Handball Rules Disallow Tottenham Goal Against Nottingham Forest at City Ground
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Neco Williams' goal disallowed for handball after VAR review in 0-0 draw with Tottenham. Video footage released shows ball hit Williams' arm preceding the disallowed goal.
Spurs draw, VAR handball
Tottenham Hotspur were held to a goalless draw with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at the City Ground, with Neco Williams having a goal disallowed after a VAR check for handball. Football London said the goal was initially given on the pitch before a VAR check ruled the effort out for a handball by Williams, and it added that a different angle showed the ball struck Williams’ arm before going into the net.
The BBC reported that Williams bundled the ball home in the 67th minute, but video assistant referee Peter Bankes stepped in to rule out the goal for accidental handball in the 0-0 draw. The BBC also said Williams and Forest manager Oliver Glasner were adamant after the match that there was no proof the ball touched an arm, even as the new footage showed the ball coming off Williams’ arm in the lead-up to the disallowed goal.
New footage fuels dispute
Dermot Gallagher, a former Premier League referee, told Sky Sports’ Ref Watch that the right decision was made, saying, "We know they got it right because we've seen subsequent evidence," and he added, "Absolutely [from the new footage], you can quite clearly see it strikes his arm." Jay Bothroyd questioned the decision from VAR due to the inconclusive nature of the footage available at the time, telling Football London, "When I saw that straight away [before the release of new footage today], I thought it was inconclusive."
The BBC said the new camera angle was not one of those available to Bankes during the game, and it quoted Williams on Sky Sports: "I've seen the images and the replays and at not one moment did I think I handballed it." BBC Sport reporter Dale Johnson, meanwhile, posted on X that he had found firm evidence, writing, "But this image (rather than another that has been widely used) does look conclusive that the ball came off Williams' right forearm."
What’s at stake next
Tottenham entered the match looking to emerge from a tough start after losing their first two games to Brentford and Newcastle United without scoring, and the London side’s points tally rose to one from three matches after the 0-0 draw. The Telegraph Egypt said Tottenham had 57% of possession and 7 shots with none on target, while Nottingham Forest had only one shot on the frame from a total of 9 attempts, leaving both sides with a "noticeable scarcity of real chances".
Football London said Tottenham’s next match will see them face Everton on Saturday evening in the Premier League, where they will look to get their first win in the top flight this season. In the BBC’s framing of the dispute, it said clear and obvious errors only cover subjective incidents, while factual interventions like handball before a goal are evidence-based judgments made by VAR, meaning the row could persist even after new angles are released.