Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has weighed in on the refereeing storm engulfing Nottingham Forest, confirming that the controversial goal awarded to Crystal Palace in their 3-1 victory at Selhurst Park should have been instantly ruled out under official Laws of the Game.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time this season in deeply frustrating fashion. After Dan Ndoye handed Forest a rapid three-minute lead, the Reds squandered a series of golden opportunities to double their advantage—most notably a point-blank miss from forward Liam Delap—before Oliver Glasner’s Palace side mounted a lethal second-half comeback.
However, the defining turning point came via Palace’s go-ahead goal, where Jefferson Lerma’s header was clearly diverted into the net via the arm of Anan Khalaili.
Halsey Cites Law 12: “It’s Controversial and Clear”
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, former top-flight official Mark Halsey pulled no punches when reviewing the incident, stating that the technology and match officials completely failed to enforce basic handling laws.
“The corner has come over, Lerma has headed the ball down, and it comes off of Khalaili’s elbow, which he then directs into the back of the net,” Halsey explained.
“Law 12—handling the ball—says that if a goal is scored with an accidental handball, then it has to be disallowed, and you can clearly see it comes off his elbow and changes direction. It’s controversial, and in law, that goal should have been disallowed.”
Halsey’s definitive verdict stands in stark contrast to the reasoning offered by assistant official Darren Cann, who defended allowing the goal on the grounds that reviewing the incident would take too long and disrupt match rhythm. That justification has left Forest supporters furious—especially considering officials subjected Forest to a grueling six-minute VAR check back in August before chalking off a goal against Tottenham.
Forest Pay Heavy Price for Officiating & Profligacy
The controversial decision marks the latest chapter in a growing list of refereeing grievances for Nottingham Forest, with the club repeatedly finding itself on the wrong end of high-profile VAR errors this term.
However, while Halsey’s comments validate the outrage felt across the fanbase, Forest must also confront their own operational failures. Failing to put games to bed after scoring first has become a dangerous pattern. Had Delap or his fellow attackers converted their dominant first-half chances, Palace’s controversial goal would have been a mere footnote rather than a match-altering catastrophe.
With title-chasing Arsenal set to visit the City Ground next weekend, Nuno’s squad faces a formidable challenge to halt their recent slump. Forest will be desperate to channel their officiating outrage into a statement performance, hoping the footballing gods—and the VAR monitor—finally favor them when the Gunners arrive.
