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Arsenal took an early lead during their Premier League encounter with Manchester United under peculiar circumstances as Emile Smith Rowe scored into an unguarded net
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has explained why Emile Smith Rowe ‘s contentious opening goal for Arsenal was awarded against Manchester United.
Smith Rowe, 21, scored one of the most-unusual goals witnessed this season as he fired the visitors in front at Old Trafford in the 13th minute.
The Gunners ace volleyed into the near post of an empty net after a chaotic corner left David de Gea in a heap on the floor.
Referee Martin Atkinson did not award the goal initially as the United goalkeeper received treatment, but VAR instructed him to do so after checking the incident at length.
Replays showed no Arsenal player committed a foul on De Gea, and it was in fact his own teammate, Fred, who stamped on him by mistake.
Clattenburg explained there was no way the goal could not stand in light of this, especially as Atkinson did not blow his whistle before Smith Rowe’s strike hit the back of the net.
“Martin Atkinson has to give the goal here because what you see is Fred accidentally stamps on De Gea’s foot, so therefore it is not a foul by an Arsenal player,” the former match official told Amazon Prime Video Sport.
“[Atkinson] doesn’t blow his whistle, and therefore he has to give the goal.”
At half-time, Clattenburg added: “I’ve never seen anything quite as extraordinary as this. However, Martin Atkinson is powerless.
“If he’d blown his whistle before the ball has entered the goal it would’ve been more controversial, because Arsenal would’ve been the victims of a disallowed goal.
“The only time Martin Atkinson could’ve disallowed it, if (Jadon) Sancho had won this ball and gone towards the half way line, I’m sure Martin Atkinson would’ve blown. He doesn’t see De Gea down.
