Mike Dean dismisses Ten Hag complaint as controversial Man Utd call explained

Alejandro Garnacho was just millimetres away from giving Manchester United the lead against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon

Mike Dean has dismissed Erik ten Hag's claim that Alejandro Garnacho was onside and that his goal against Arsenal should have stood. The 19-year-old forward thought he had put Manchester United ahead in the dying embers of their clash against the Gunners.

However, following a review from the Video Assistant Referee and the on-field referee Anthony Taylor, Garnacho was deemed offside and the Red Devils' goal was ruled out. Just minutes later, Declan Rice beat Andre Onana at his near post in stoppage time to put Arsenal ahead.

With the momentum in the north Londoners' favour, Gabriel Jesus went on to score a third and wrap up three points. Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Ten Hag vented his frustrations and claimed that the 'wrong angle' was used by VAR to rule out the decision.

"You saw the game, but it’s no offside – wrong angle," protested the United boss. "The penalty on Hojlund. And then we concede a goal that’s a foul on Jonny Evans, it’s so clear and obvious.

"The performance was right but the result was not on our side and definitely many decisions were against us," Ten Hag added. "Let's start at the penalty given but rejected. Everyone can see it's a simulation but he did not get booked for it.

"Then the foul on Hojlund in the penalty area and I don't think it was even noticed by the VAR. Then the disallowed goal from Garnacho. I think they looked from the wrong angle and it's onside."

Sky Sports later got the opinion of former Premier League referee Mike Dean, who sympathised with the United boss but insisted that the correct decision was made. Dean said: "It's obviously very, very tight. At first glance I thought it was offside.

"There's one or two angles where he looks on and then off. When they put the lines up you can't fault the technology - they put the lines in the correct place, they wouldn't have put them in the wrong place.

"His shoulder's offside and that's what they've given. Both angles would've been used because there'll be a camera for there and a camera also on the 18-yard line which they would've used. I'm comfortable with the decision today."