Nottingham Forest supporters have been left fuming once again after being on the receiving end of another baffling refereeing decision during Sunday’s 3-1 Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. However, the anger surrounding the loss has reached boiling point following “bizarre” comments from former FIFA and World Cup Final match official Darren Cann, who attempted to defend a blatantly illegal goal.
Despite dominating the opening stages and taking a early 1-0 lead thanks to Dan Ndoye’s clinical third-minute finish, Forest found themselves trailing 2-1 at the half-time interval. The match completely turned on a highly controversial go-ahead goal for Palace, where Jefferson Lerma’s header clearly deflected into the net off the arm and elbow of Anan Khalaili.
Under strict IFAB laws, any goal scored directly off an attacking player’s hand or arm—accidental or not—must be immediately disallowed. Yet referee Peter Bankes and the VAR review team allowed the goal to stand.
”It Would Take Too Long!”: Darren Cann’s Shocking Excuse
Speaking to BBC Sport after the match, Cann stunned pundits and Forest fans alike by claiming VAR made the correct call simply because investigating the handball properly would have delayed the match for too long.
“There was some debate as to whether Crystal Palace’s second goal should have been credited to Jefferson Lerma or Anan Khalaili,” Cann told BBC Sport.
“After several replays, various angles and about 30 minutes of TV analysts magnifying the picture, it does look like Lerma’s header comes off the arm of Khalaili before going into the goal. However, to be fair to the VAR, they cannot take this long in their deliberations, and if there is not clear, indisputable evidence readily available, they must go with the on-field decision.”
The Blatant Double Standard Infuriating Forest Fans
Cann’s justification has ignited absolute fury among Nottingham Forest supporters, who were quick to point out the blatant hypocrisy and double standards regarding VAR officiating this season.
When Forest played Tottenham earlier in the campaign, Peter Bankes made the players wait through a six-minute VAR check before eventually ruling out a legitimate goal scored by Neco Williams. Yet when a call benefits the opposition at Forest’s expense, officials suddenly claim that taking time to achieve the correct decision is an unacceptable burden.
While Forest cannot entirely blame officiating for a second-half collapse that saw Palace secure a 3-1 win, Cann’s bizarre comments highlight how fractured and inconsistent Premier League officiating remains. Forest fans are now bitterly preparing to receive yet another hollow apology letter from PGMOL as the officiating crisis deepens.
