Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson played a pivotal role in their dramatic FA Cup final win over Manchester City — but a key first-half incident has sparked controversy over whether he should have been sent off.
In the 24th minute at Wembley, Henderson appeared to handle the ball outside his penalty area to deny Erling Haaland a potential goalscoring opportunity. The Palace shot-stopper came off his line to meet a through ball and, under pressure from Haaland, reached out and clearly palmed the ball while just outside the box.
Referee Stuart Attwell allowed play to continue, seemingly judging the incident to have occurred inside the area. However, once the ball went out of play, a VAR check was initiated to assess a possible red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
VAR official Jarred Gillett did not recommend a red card, concluding that Haaland did not have a clear chance to score, as the ball was moving away from goal. Critics of the decision argue that it was only Henderson’s handball that diverted the ball off course, and that Haaland would otherwise have had a clear run at goal.
Adding to the controversy, Gillett was also involved in a similar incident earlier this season — when he upgraded William Saliba’s yellow card to a red for denying a goalscoring opportunity against Bournemouth.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner admitted he was nervous during the review. “I thought, ‘Why don’t you just kick it?’ Then I had my fingers crossed VAR wouldn’t intervene,” he said post-match. Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola declined to comment on the decision.
Despite the controversy, Henderson was later the hero for Palace — saving Omar Marmoush’s penalty and helping his side secure a historic 1-0 win, the club’s first-ever major trophy.