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Gary Lineker hints Man Utd FA Cup final penalty would not stand as rule change imminent
Gary Lineker indicated he has the inside track on a new handball law which may have denied Manchester United a penalty in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
Bruno Fernandes previews FA Cup final
Gary Lineker has hinted that Manchester United's penalty awarded in the FA Cup final would not have counted under the new handball laws which he claimed are set to arrive in English football. VAR intervened to hand the Red Devils a spot-kick which was comfortably dispatched by Bruno Fernandes in the all-Manchester derby at Wembley after Jack Grealish was adjudged to have handled in the box, but Lineker claims it may not be given under the new rules.
Referee Paul Tierney pointed to the spot in the first half to give United a way back into the game after VAR officials decided Grealish's hand was in an unnatural position when he blocked Aaron Wan-Bissaka's header into the box.
Fernandes stepped up and scored to make it 1-1 after Ilkay Gundogan's historic opener after 14 seconds.
But Lineker suggests United were perhaps fortunate to get the penalty under the current rules, as the 62-year-old claimed to have inside information from a 'reliable' source that handball rules are set to be simplified.
"I have it on very reliable information that that law will be simplified, the handball law," BBC presenter Lineker said during a debate on the penalty at half-time.
"I think they're almost going to go back to how it was, common sense.
"I always think it's kind of ludicrous when they say your hand is in an unnatural position, because unless it's not attached to your body then it has to be natural, surely."
When asked about his view on the incident, Grealish protested that he wasn't even aware where the ball was when it hit his arm.
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"I don't even think it's a penalty. I wasn't even looking at it, I turned and it hit my arm but Gundogan saved me," the England international said.
Even with the controversial VAR decision going against them, Pep Guardiola's Treble chasers were not to be denied at Wembley in front of the 83,000-strong crowd.
It was Gundogan again who produced another long-range effort which proved to be the winner as Guardiola's side celebrated a Premier League and FA Cup double.
They can now prepare for their Champions League final against Inter Milan on June 10, where winning in Istanbul would clinch their first-ever league, cup and European Treble.