Bruno Fernandes goal is “biggest farce” and could cost Man City the Premier League title

Just imagine the backlash if that offside controversy at Old Trafford in the derby costs Manchester City the title.

I make no apologies for harking back to the incredible, nonsensical and, frankly, wrong decision that Marcus Rashford was not interfering with play when he effectively shielded the ball and left it for Bruno Fernandes to equalise.

It’s one of the biggest farces I’ve ever witnessed in the Premier League. That’s how bad it was. And if you want to know its true impact on the title race, here’s the sting in the tale. If that goal had been chalked off, as every ounce of common sense dictates, I believe City would have gone on to beat Manchester United.

With an extra three points on the board, it means they could have gone top of the table by beating Wolves this weekend, of only for a couple of hours, because Arsenal’s game against United is the late kick-off on Sunday.

For the first time since October, when they beat Liverpool 3-2 to regain the No.1 spot, we might have found out if the Gunners could cope with the ‘scoreboard pressure’ of playing catch-up.

But I fear the title race could yet be affected by that awful decision, and don’t tell me that a single point here or there will make no difference. Three years ago, in the first game after lockdown, Sheffield United were denied a blatant goal at Aston Villa when goal-line technology failed and the game finished 0-0.

Villa keeper Orjan Nyland was pictured falling over the line and into his own net clutching the ball – an obvious goal, but nothing was given. Ultimately, that point changed the course of history. It kept Villa in the Premier League on goal difference.

If new referees’ chief Howard Webb didn’t know it already, he has a massive job on his hands to sort out VAR farces and the wretched confusion over current application of the offside and handball laws.

Every week, VAR officials go through every goal with a fine toothcomb and find reasons to chalk off goals because someone’s toenail is offside… and yet something so blatant, so obvious, is allowed to stand because the wording of the law is not enough for it to be disallowed? Come off it!

You can’t tell me that pass was meant for anyone but Rashford, or that City goalkeeper Ederson thought anyone but Rashford was going to play it.

City can feel aggrieved by one of the worst decisions you’ll ever see on a football pitch. It was a fantastic advert for the naked eye and common sense being more useful than VAR technology or a officials re-refereeing games from Stockley Park.

I felt City were still suffering some derby hangover in the first half against Tottenham on Thursday night, and I was surprised they kept the ball just for the sake of possession.