If there is one thing in the modern game that is guaranteed to confuse, it is the handball law.

On Sunday at Old Trafford, Manchester United's second goal in their 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest reignited the debate. The goal was scored by Matheus Cunha, following an "accidental" handball by Bryan Mbeumo. Despite the confusion among players and fans, the referee, Michael Salisbury, decided to allow the goal to stand.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was adamant that the video assistant referee (VAR) Matt Donohue should intervene and send the referee to the monitor. The review did not end as Neville expected; Salisbury, who has only upheld his on-field decision 17 times in seven seasons, stuck with his call and awarded the goal. Neville was particularly critical, calling it "a shocker in every single way."

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane also expressed frustration with the current handball rule, noting that it leaves ex-professionals "scratching ourselves" in confusion. Darren Cann, a former Premier League assistant referee, described the incident as a "penalisable handball" and suggested it might be time to return to a simpler law.

The controversy highlights the differing expectations in football, particularly when it comes to attacking moves. While the law states that a goal should be disallowed if the ball is deflected off a player's hand, the implementation remains inconsistent. The debate over handball laws is likely to continue, especially given the strong opinions expressed by pundits and former players.