Manchester United saw a potential equaliser ruled out for offside during their Premier League trip to face West Ham United at the London Stadium, with Casemiro adjudged to have strayed beyond the last defender in the build-up.
The match had been relatively subdued in the opening 45 minutes, with neither side able to assert clear dominance or create many clear-cut opportunities. However, the tempo shifted shortly after the restart when West Ham broke the deadlock. Tomas Soucek capitalised on an opportunity early in the second half to put the hosts in front, giving Nuno Espirito Santo’s side a crucial advantage and energising the home crowd.
Manchester United responded with greater urgency and believed they had restored parity roughly 13 minutes later. Kobbie Mainoo delivered a well-weighted cross into the box, and Casemiro rose highest to power a header past the goalkeeper. The United players began celebrating what they thought was a deserved equaliser, but their joy proved short-lived.
The goal was subjected to a VAR check, with officials closely examining the moment the ball was played into the area. After reviewing the footage, VAR determined that Casemiro had been marginally ahead of the last West Ham defender when Mainoo made contact with the ball. As a result, the on-field decision to award the goal was overturned, and the effort was disallowed for offside.
The Premier League later clarified the situation via its official account on X, confirming that the incident had been reviewed and that Casemiro’s positioning was deemed offside. The announcement reinforced the use of video technology in ensuring the accuracy of key decisions, even when margins are extremely tight.
United had entered the fixture in buoyant mood, having secured four successive victories against high-profile opponents including Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham, and Tottenham. Nevertheless, they were up against a confident West Ham side enjoying a strong run of form under Nuno Espirito Santo, setting the stage for a fiercely contested encounter in east London.
