Nottingham Forest finally had a helping hand from VAR as they took a big step towards Premier League safety against hapless Sheffield United.
Forest hearts were in their mouths when Ryan Yates volleyed home early in the second half, as VAR checked for a foul by Murillo on Ben Brereton-Diaz.
Yet the goal stood, Forest led 2-1 and made the points safe when Callum Hudson-Odoi claimed his second of the match – as Blades became the first team to concede 100 goals in a 38-game league season.
Hudson-Odoi also scored a beauty in the first half to cancel out Brereton-Diaz’s opener from the penalty spot and to make matters worse for the home side, Anel Ahmedhodzic was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time as his team were booed off.
Forest have been furious with VAR all season and were charged with misconduct for the explosive post on X that followed the defeat by Everton last month, when they believed they were denied three penalties.
But they were all smiles here and victory over Chelsea next weekend will all but secure safety.
Chris Wood had missed a series of good chances in Forest’s recent games and he was off target instantly here, volleying Morgan Gibbs-White’s cross wide when unmarked 12 yards out.
The home side took heart from that let-off and were ahead before the 20-minute mark. Players had struggled to keep their footing during the early stages of the half so when Gonzalo Montiel did not control his slide and upended Brereton-Diaz, a penalty was inevitable.
The forward slammed in his kick confidently as the home fans crowed ‘You’re going down with United’.
Murillo then produced a superb last-ditch challenge on Cameron Archer to keep the deficit to one and just before the half-hour mark, Hudson-Odoi equalised brilliantly.
The former Chelsea winger collected Danilo’s pass, stepped inside Jayden Bogle and hit a swerving shot into the far corner.
Forest had been ragged until then and that should have been the platform to improve. Instead Blades tore at them and missed excellent chances.
Murillo made another outstanding block to deny Brereton-Diaz before Matz Sels saved from Archer after the forward had nutmegged Willy Boly.
The Belgian then tipped Gustavo Hamer’s piledriver over the bar and was relieved to Archer miskick six yards out following more woeful defending.
Forest nearly punished Chris Wilder’s men as Wood came close from another Gibbs-White cross, this time heading against the bar from six yards.
Not long after the interval Forest did turn it around. Gibbs-White’s free-kick was steered into the danger zone by Anthony Elanga, where Boly headed it back for Yates to crash a volley beyond Wes Foderingham.
For once VAR smiled on Forest as the goal was allowed to stand despite Murillo barging Brereton-Diaz over as the free-kick was floated in.
Forest could not settle, though, and Hamer slid the ball a fraction wide after more sloppy work at the back from Boly.
After scoring from a difficult angle in the first half, Hudson-Odoi then somehow missed the target from a far easier position.
Brereton-Diaz had been United’s greatest threat and he would have had a second but for a fine stop by Sels, who dropped to his right to paw away a low drive.
It would not be long before Forest scored what looked like the clincher.
Gibbs-White found Hudson-Odoi, who tricked his way past Bogle again and this time found an accurate finish to give Forest some comfort.
Blades fans, meanwhile, headed quickly for the exits, and many missed the second yellow shown to Ahmedhodzic for a rough challenge on Nicolas Dominguez.