Former Premier League referee Peter Walton has supported Mike Dean's decision to disallow Raphael Varane's early goal for Manchester United against Burnley at Turf Moor this evening.
Varane, who joined the club from Spanish giants Real Madrid last summer, thought he had netted his first goal in United colours with just 12 minutes on the clock, heading home Bruno Fernandes' free-kick.
As Varane and his team-mates celebrated what they thought was an early goal, VAR intervened, reviewed the goal and ordered Dean to go the pitchside monitor.
Varane's centre-back partner - Harry Maguire - was deemed to have blocked Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez's defensive run and found himself in an offside position, meaning he was interfering with play, although it appeared as though the Clarets ace had pushed Maguire into that position as Fernandes prepared to deliver the cross.
Dean's visit to the pitchside monitor saw him reach a verdict of offside against Maguire, meaning the goal was disallowed and Varane was denied his first for the club.
Although some of United's supporters were critical of the decision, Walton, providing in-game analysis, insisted that Dean and VAR had made the correct decision.
"The point is Maguire was in an offside position but it occurs when he interferes with the opponent challenging for the ball," Walton told BT Sport.
"Maguire does block the defender and that's when the issue occurs. Offside."
Varane's disallowed effort did not haunt United for too long, however, as they got their noses in front just a few minutes later through Paul Pogba's first goal since January last year.
The Frenchman, making his first Premier League appearance since October, fired a smart finish into the roof of the net after connecting with Luke Shaw's cut-back.
United thought they had netted a second a few minutes later via a Josh Brownhill own goal but it was disallowed for a foul from Pogba in the build-up.
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