KMI Panel Backs Decision to Award Handball Goal
Wednesday, 9th Sep 2026 13:29

The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel has backed the decision to allow Manchester United’s second goal against the Blues at Old Trafford at the end of last month.

Harry Maguire’s off-target shot deflected off Town defender Jacob Greaves and into the corner of the net to make the scoreline 2-1.

Replays showed that the ball had struck the England defender’s arm in the build-up but VAR deemed that irrelevant as it was viewed as accidental and as it was an own goal rather than credited to Maguire.

During the review VAR official Jarred Gillett outlined how he saw the issue to on-pitch referee Craig Pawson: “It’s an own goal and the accidental handball is not punishable, so we recommend you award the goal.”

The KMI panel has five members with four backing the decision and one disagreeing, the latter seeing the handball as deliberate.

The panel said: “Maguire’s arms are within his bodyline, meaning that the contact with his right arm was accidental and not a punishable handball offence given that Maguire was not the goal scorer.

“The shot was clearly off-target and then deflected in via the defender for a clear own goal. The panel supported the referee’s call to award the goal, 4:1, with one panellist considering the handball to be deliberate.”

The decision was widely criticised by ex-players and referees, among them Mark Clattenburg, who felt the law relating to handball needed changing.

🚨 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗: Because Harry Maguire's shot cannons in off Jacob Greaves, the goal stands as an own goal.

If Harry Maguire's shot goes straight in, the goal would've been disallowed. pic.twitter.com/TzDuQWhpZk https://t.co/AilsGJonAy

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) August 30, 2026

The KMI panel also backed the decision not to red card Greaves for the foul which led to the penalty from which United scored their third goal.

“The on-field call of penalty was unanimously supported,” the panel said. “A clear foul by Greaves on [Matheus] Cunha as he ran through on goal, with a correct yellow card DOGSO as it was a genuine challenge for the ball.”

Photo: IMAGO/Sportimage via Reuters Connect

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 13:33 - Sep 9 Well what utter bullshit .
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Sefton_Blue added 13:35 - Sep 9 They would say that, wouldn’t they?
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scooby added 13:42 - Sep 9 Does that mean we can now catch and run with the ball then. So long as the hands remain inside the body which is apparently a natural position for them
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runningout added 13:45 - Sep 9 Embarrassing
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Doc_Albran added 13:49 - Sep 9 Bet Nico Williams wished he'd pushed the ball onto Tonali's leg now, as that would have been accidental handball and an own goal!
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leftie1972 added 14:06 - Sep 9 Well they know fudge all then don’t they.
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Karlosfandangal added 14:13 - Sep 9 So what happens if it given as a wrong decision….reduce the score to 4-2
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hoppy added 14:14 - Sep 9 "Arms were in a natural position" - maybe they were ..if you're a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
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BlueMoolay added 14:19 - Sep 9 Who are the KMI panel.? Chris Sutton Darren Huckerby Grant Holt Dean Ashton Delia Smith
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1960H added 14:29 - Sep 9 No surprises there, more corruption and PL "big team" BS, it would not have been given had the scenario been the other way round !
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barrystedmunds added 14:30 - Sep 9 I think the KMI should instigate a peace award
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naa added 14:30 - Sep 9 No idea how people can see that as accidental. Just because his hands weren't outside his body doesn't make it accidental. I'd say his hands were in an unnatural position for how he was moving. Quite blatantly moved both his hands to get the ball. Crazy.
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grow_our_own added 14:43 - Sep 9 I don't particularly blame the KMI panel. Law is a massive grey-area. "Accidental" is too subjective. If you handle then assist (as Maguire did Greaves), then no goal. Same as it was before this law changed in 2021. New law is open to corrupt big club bias. One man's "Maguire patted the ball down for a shot", is another's "arms weren't outside his silhouette".
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Cadiar added 14:52 - Sep 9 What I heard was they accepted the ball hit his arms & he put his hands up to protect his face. What was he protecting his face from? Oh, the ball so he deliberately stopped the ball.
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muccletonjoe added 14:58 - Sep 9 No surprises there. Can you imagine that can of worms if the other four had thought it was deliberate handball ?
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bricor2011 added 14:58 - Sep 9 I am now even more convinced that the Premier League is corrupt.
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BigscarfAl added 15:10 - Sep 9 What is the point of KMI ?
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Michael101 added 15:13 - Sep 9 How they remembered to remove their man utd shirts before announcing the verdict.
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JewellintheTown added 15:19 - Sep 9 What happens when its an intentional "accidental" handball?
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dazza added 15:24 - Sep 9 Whilst the decision on the handball goal is crazy, and was a pivotal moment in the match - at least they also made the wrong decision (and stuck with it) on greaves - that was a clear red card all day - so perhaps it evened itself out in the end.
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Paulc added 15:26 - Sep 9 The panel are correct to back the VAR decision. The law, which is clearly wrong, was upheld to the letter based on no handball being given by the ref. VAR have done nothing wrong. The guilty party is the ref who failed to award a foul for DELIBERATE handball. VAR cannot intervene on a deliberate handball decision unless it is in the case of a penalty.
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wilhirecup added 15:46 - Sep 9 we all know if that had happened down the other end of the pitch the goal would not have stood ,end of
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chrisbobs added 15:48 - Sep 9 I guess this is what happens when you get your mates to mark your homework.
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JPR77 added 15:48 - Sep 9

I agree PaulC. My issue is that the rationale remains confusing. If the preceding handball was deemed accidental, fine, but I don’t see why the way the goal was scored afterwards - an own goal - is relevant. Had it happened at the other end, I’m convinced the goal wouldn’t have stood. I also doubt it would have been given before VAR. I’ve not seen anyone outside of officiating who feels the goal should have been given. It feels harsh, and with officiating more than ever in the spotlight, they were never going to come out and say anything to the contrary.

Bert added 15:57 - Sep 9 What the panel should be saying is that although they deemed the handball accidental ( but clearly it had the effect of controlling the ball in the attacker’s favour) the law as it stands has unintended consequences and should be reviewed. Why are the laws of football rarely changed whereas in Rugby and Cricket they are regularly updated based on experience.
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