New video footage has been released that shows the ball coming off Neco Williams' arm in the lead-up to his disallowed goal in the 0-0 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. The Nottingham Forest defender bundled the ball home in the 67th minute but video assistant referee Peter Bankes stepped in to rule out the goal for accidental handball. Williams and Forest manager Oliver Glasner were adamant after the match that there was no proof the ball touched an arm.
While the footage vindicates the VAR's decision, it may not end the arguments about the decision to rule out the goal. It has been a tough couple of days for Bankes, because while the VAR was 100% confident he had made the correct decision, it has attracted intense media scrutiny. He will now feel vindicated - but there is one important distinction to make.
The new camera angle was not one of those available to Bankes during the game - so it is unlikely to end the anger from Forest fans over the validity of the intervention, even if we know the VAR was ultimately correct. On the new footage, Williams touches the ball with his left arm then his right forearm before it goes into the net. The VAR hub only has access to the broadcast cameras, and this camera was one of several which does not transmit as part of match coverage.
Bankes believed the proof on the angles he had available came from the ripple of Williams' shirt as the ball touched his right forearm. Former midfielder Danny Murphy said on Match of the Day he could understand the argument for the handball but was not convinced the goal should have been ruled out. "It's a really tricky one," Murphy said.
"Maybe it could be a tiny bit on his sleeve or right forearm. But is it clear and obvious? That's the answer." BBC Sport understands that Pro Ref - the new name for the refereeing body that was previously called Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) - is completely happy with the decision to rule out the goal.
There is irritation within Pro Ref about how the story has developed, partly because Williams was so unequivocal that the ball had not touched his arm - when there is now evidence to the contrary. "I've seen the images and the replays and at not one moment did I think I handballed it," Williams told Sky Sports. "I have seen all the images and at not one moment can you tell that has clearly hit my arms, because it never.
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