The Premier League has clarified the reasoning behind the VAR call that ruled out what would have been a dramatic winner for Nottingham Forest in their scoreless draw with Tottenham at the City Ground.
Forest thought they’d found a breakthrough in the second half when Neco Williams reacted quickest inside the box and turned the ball into the net, only for the goal to be chalked off following a VAR check. The Premier League’s official match centre confirmed the decision came down to Williams making contact with the ball via his hand just before it crossed the line, prompting the referee to disallow the goal and award Spurs a free-kick instead.
It was the standout moment in a match short on other highlights, with Forest chasing their first league win of the season and Tottenham looking to avoid a third straight defeat. In the end, the reprieve allowed De Zerbi’s side to leave with a point despite a largely toothless display — Spurs failed to register a single shot on target and have now gone three games without scoring in the league.
For Forest, the disappointment will linger given how close they came to a first victory, only to see it snatched away by the officials. Tottenham, meanwhile, will simply be glad to get off the mark after back-to-back losses to Brentford and Newcastle, even if their finishing struggles remain unresolved.
Despite considerable summer spending on attacking reinforcements, Spurs are still without a Premier League goal this season, their only strikes coming in a Carabao Cup win over Charlton. De Zerbi will be under pressure to find answers fast, with Everton up next as another chance to end the drought.
Forest can point to defensive solidity as a positive, but will feel hard done by not to have taken more from the game. Both sides remain winless in the league, and the VAR controversy looks set to be the main topic of conversation among Forest’s fanbase in the days ahead.
