Manchester United have been told referee Anthony Taylor DID make an error during their Premier League defeat to Aston Villa.
The Red Devils were soundly beaten by Villa at the start of November, losing 3-1 in Unai Emery’s first game back in England. Leon Bailey opened the scoring after just seven minutes, before Lucas Digne doubled their lead less than five minutes later.
Digne’s goal came from a direct free kick, with the United wall appearing to be further back than the required 10 yards. Manchester Evening News claim that Christian Eriksen attempted to politely tell Taylor of his mistake, only to be given a swift rebuttal.
Since then, United officials have contacted The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), with the board agreeing Taylor had got it wrong. Taylor hasn’t officiated a Premier League match since that mistake, but returns to action to ironically take charge of another United clash.
United boss Erik ten Hag did call out the discrepancy after the defeat, saying: "I think the free-kick is stoppable because the wall is too far. Okay, a small detail but details make the difference in top football. It tells everything from us because we were not fresh."
Taylor will be in the middle when United take on Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford, having been selected as one of the English referees at the World Cup.
During his time in Qatar he was given two group stage games, with South Korea boss Paulo Bento given a touchline ban for his furious reaction to a decision.
Ten Hag is set to be able to call upon Harry Maguire for the game with Forest after the England international missed their last game through illness. He will be required to start in defence with finalists Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane likely to miss out again.
''We had some problems with illness like Harry Maguire, but he was back on the training pitch today so I’m happy with that,'' the Dutchman explained. ''Returning from Rapha Varane and Licha Martinez, they are not there [back at United] but we hope on their comeback [soon].''
United go into the game four points behind Tottenham, who currently occupy the final spot in the top four having played two games more. “The competition is tough, but I think it counts for all of the seven or eight clubs who are competing for the top four,” Ten Hag added.
“For those who follow the Premier League, it is great because it is exciting and you have to battle for everyone to get those points.
“What I am looking at is the process and how we are performing, we have to get the results and then also we have to make the right progress, and then we have a good chance of getting into the top four.''
