The referee who allowed a disputed goal to stand in Manchester United's victory over Nottingham Forest last Sunday has been left out of the officiating schedule for the Premier League's final round of fixtures.

Michael Salisbury came under intense scrutiny after permitting Matheus Cunha's goal to count despite Bryan Mbeumo handling the ball in the build-up. Salisbury declined to consult the pitchside monitor after the video assistant referee recommended a review, a decision that PGMOL — the body overseeing match officials in English professional football — subsequently admitted was an error.

A rare and costly call

Turning down VAR advice at the monitor is an exceptionally uncommon occurrence in the Premier League. It has happened only 17 times across seven seasons, with Sunday's incident marking the fourth such instance this campaign alone.

Referees' chief Howard Webb acknowledged the controversy directly, informing Nottingham Forest that while some could mount a justifiable argument that Mbeumo's touch did not constitute handball, football's expectation would have been for the goal to be disallowed. English officials do apply a more lenient interpretation of handball laws than many of their counterparts elsewhere in Europe, though they remain within the sport's official rules.

Salisbury had officiated 13 Premier League matches this season before the Forest incident. He will not be part of any officiating team for Sunday's 10 simultaneous kick-offs, all scheduled for 16:00 BST.

Bell retained despite his own controversy

Elsewhere, James Bell has been named as VAR for Fulham's home fixture against Newcastle, despite drawing criticism of his own. Bell faced scrutiny following a decision not to recommend a review of a challenge by Arsenal's Kai Havertz on Burnley's Lesley Ugochukwu during Monday's match.

The selection decisions underline an ongoing spotlight on officiating standards as the Premier League season reaches its conclusion, with both clubs and supporters demanding greater consistency and accountability from those in charge of the game's most critical moments.