The Premier League said Benjamin Sesko’s goal stood because officials found no conclusive evidence that he handled the ball before scoring.
Manchester United’s controversial opener against Liverpool survived a lengthy VAR check, with Benjamin Sesko’s goal ultimately standing at Old Trafford.
Manchester United and Liverpool produced another tense chapter at Old Trafford, but the biggest talking point came before the football settled into its rhythm. Benjamin Sesko’s first-half goal was checked for a possible handball, yet the strike was allowed to stand after a prolonged review.
The Premier League Match Centre made the key point clear: there was no conclusive evidence that Sesko handled the ball before scoring. That ruling ended the debate inside the stadium, even if the frustration lingered among Liverpool supporters and the uncertainty hung over the early stages of the contest.
Bruno Fernandes played a major role in the move, flicking a dangerous ball into the six-yard box. Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman then slapped the ball into Sesko’s path, and the Manchester United forward finished from close range to double his side’s lead in the first half.
The review itself took around three minutes, with Stuart Attwell and the VAR team examining several broadcast angles for possible hand or arm contact. The length of the check only added to the tension, as players waited for a final decision that could have changed the direction of the match.
How the match swung
Manchester United had reason to believe the goal could prove decisive, but Liverpool responded with real force after the break. Dominik Szoboszlai pulled a goal back shortly after the restart, and Cody Gakpo then equalised in the 56th minute to drag Liverpool level.
That comeback gave the game a completely different shape, turning what looked like a comfortable position for Manchester United into a full-scale battle. The atmosphere sharpened, the tempo rose, and both sides had to live with the pressure that only a high-stakes Premier League meeting can create.
Even so, Manchester United found the answer when Kobbie Mainoo netted the decisive winner in the 77th minute. That goal settled the contest and gave United a hard-fought victory over Liverpool after a match packed with momentum shifts, controversy, and big moments at both ends.
For Benjamin Sesko, the spotlight will remain on the manner of the goal as much as the finish itself. VAR has become part of every major Premier League storyline, and this one showed how quickly a single touch, or the suspicion of one, can dominate the conversation.
Manchester United will care most about the result, not the noise. Liverpool, meanwhile, will feel they were close enough to take more from the game after fighting back from two goals down, only to see Mainoo deliver the final blow.
In the end, the official line was simple, and it settled the controversy: no conclusive evidence, no disallowed goal. That decision left Sesko’s strike on the board and ensured the first-half flashpoint became one of the defining moments of the match.