Manchester United vs Real Betis: Why Ayoze Perez’s Goal Was Allowed to Stand Despite Handball in Build Up

• Manchester United's Europa League game vs Real Betis was marred by many contentious decisions
• From Bruno Fernandes avoiding a red card to Betis' goal being allowed to stand, both teams felt upset
• Nonetheless, it was a perfect night for the Red Devils as they registered a healthy first-leg advantage

Manchester United came back emphatically from the Liverpool whipping by sweeping aside Real Betis in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Europa League on Thursday night.

Erik ten Hag's men put four goals past the Spanish side to put one leg into the last eight ahead of the return leg next week.

Marcus Rashford, Antony, Bruno Fernandes, and Wout Weghorst scored a goal apiece, with Ayoze Perez pulling one back for the visitors.

The game had a few controversial moments, even as United stepped in to collect themselves a few days after the Liverpool mauling.

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Perez's equaliser in the first half left the Red Devils faithful seething with anger after Juanmi appeared to handle the ball before playing it to Perez. The Spaniard appeared to control the ball using the inside of his arm before darting through a few challenges.

He then floated the ball to an unmarked Perez, who struck the ball sweetly across David de Gea's goal. There were mooted protests from United players as the Video Assistant Referee checked and cleared the goal to restore parity at Old Trafford.

Was the VAR decision wrong?

Though harsh to anyone related to United, the VAR made the correct decision. Rules indicate that if the foul or offence did not happen directly in the buildup of the goal, then it doesn't directly impact the goal.

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The VAR could have disallowed the goal had it struck the arm of Perez - the goal-scorer - before he scored.

Juanmi's handball, or lack thereof, was adjudged to have happened in a different sequence of play and therefore, the fact that it wasn't spotted by on-pitch officials was inconsequential to Perez's goal.

United fans would ask how far away the incident had to have happened then, given it was Juanmi who passed the ball to Perez a few seconds after 'handling' it.

An argument could also be made that had the referee spotted the 'handball' in real time, the goal won't have counted. That is VAR for you: you win some, you lose some.

Luckily for United, the away goals rules was scrapped and they went on to score three more times to get a healthy advantage ahead of the Estadio Benito Villamarín reunion.

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Sports Brief also reported on Weghorst scoring his first goal at Old Trafford to help Man United see off Real Betis in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16.

The score had been a long time coming for the Dutch striker, who has been on the receiving end of harsh criticism from fans after his arrival in January.

Weghorst was signed on loan as a stop-gap measure following Cristiano Ronaldo's sudden exit and Anthony Martial's recurring injury problems.