MusaNeco Williams’ disallowed goal against Tottenham Hotspur last month would have counted if Howard Webb had been in charge of the decision.
Tottenham faced Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday, September 5, in a match that could have ended differently had VAR not intervened to rule out Williams’ goal. The decision denied Forest what appeared to be a crucial breakthrough, with the defender finding the net in the 67th minute.
Williams bundled the ball over the line while attempting to protect his head from pressure by Sandro Tonali. However, the ball made contact with his arm before entering the net, prompting referee Peter Bankes to disallow the goal for accidental handball.
Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), believes the VAR team should not have intervened. Instead, he feels the on-field referee’s original judgement should have been allowed to stand.
Speaking to The Times, the 55-year-old former Premier League referee questioned whether the accidental contact should have been enough to overturn the goal.
“But he’s not put it in deliberately. Should it really matter if it brushes Williams’s arm?” Webb said.
He added: “You’re forcing VAR to be inherent when you shouldn’t. That’s why in the Premier League we have a slight tolerance for offside. It’s wonderful, it’s beautiful, it benefits the attacking team.”
Webb’s comments could prove controversial among Tottenham supporters, particularly given the club’s disappointing start to the 2026/27 campaign.
Under Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs have struggled to find consistency and currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table, having failed to record a single victory in their opening six matches.
The north London side have suffered defeats against Brentford, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, while draws against Nottingham Forest, Everton and Manchester United have left them with just three points from a possible 18.
Their poor form has come despite significant investment during the summer transfer window, when Tottenham strengthened their squad with several high-profile additions, including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Savio and Omar Marmoush.
De Zerbi will have another opportunity to get his side’s season back on track when Tottenham host Coventry City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday evening, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm.
However, the fixture could prove more challenging than expected, as Frank Lampard’s Coventry side have begun to show encouraging signs in the Premier League.
The Sky Blues secured an impressive 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground before the late-September international break. They subsequently delivered an emphatic statement by defeating Newcastle United 4-1 on Monday evening.
With Coventry gathering momentum and Tottenham desperate for their first league victory of the season, De Zerbi’s men face another difficult test as they look to climb away from the foot of the table.
Musa
