New video shows Williams handball but does not end VAR debate

New video footage appears to show the ball touching Neco Williams’ left arm and right forearm before Nottingham Forest’s goal against Tottenham Hotspur was disallowed for handball.

Williams bundled the ball into the net in the 67th minute of the goalless draw, but VAR Peter Bankes intervened and ruled out the goal. Williams and Forest manager Oliver Glasner had disputed that the ball touched the defender’s arm.

The newly released camera angle was not available to VAR during the match. The video therefore supports the decision, but may not settle the debate over whether the intervention was justified.

Bankes relied on the broadcast angles available at the time, including movement in Williams’ shirt as the ball appeared to touch his right forearm. The new footage also shows that the ball did not touch Williams’ head.

Williams said after the match: “At not one moment did I think I handballed it.” He argued that the ball had gone between his arms after he headed it down.

Debate over the VAR threshold

The incident has prompted discussion about the difference between subjective and factual VAR decisions. Handball before a goal is treated as a factual intervention, meaning the VAR can overturn the goal if they believe the available evidence proves an offence.

Former midfielder Danny Murphy said he could understand the handball argument but was not convinced the goal should have been disallowed, questioning whether the contact was sufficiently clear.

BBC Sport reported that Pro Ref, the body responsible for refereeing, is satisfied that the decision was correct. However, the organisation’s view does not remove the wider disagreement over how such incidents should be judged.

Howard Webb has previously said he would consider changing the attacking handball law so that goals are not ruled out for accidental contact unless the player deliberately handles the ball or makes themselves unjustifiably bigger.

The latest footage may vindicate the decision made by Bankes, but the incident continues to illustrate the broader debate over VAR and the interpretation of handball.