Manchester United and Middlesbrough headed into the Old Trafford changing rooms at half-time with the score at 0-0 in their New Year's Eve Premier League fixture, but the hosts should have been one goal to the good after having a legitimate goal ruled out.
Referee Lee Mason will be in for a telling off from Jose Mourinho after he decided to chalk off a goal that came about after a typically acrobatic flick from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who latched on to a cross by Anthony Martial after some fantastic play on the wing.
Victor Valdes went down in a heap and took a while to get to his feet, but having seen the replays it seems as though he was barely touched, and any impact was caused by him rushing into Ibrahimovic who's foot was well down by that stage.
The alternative angle replays show that the high foot was not a danger to the goalkeeper.
The Ball comes in, Zlatan jumps with a clear distance between him and any other player.
Zlatan makes contact with the ball, nowhere near Valdes.
Contact is made with the foot safely down, and the ball en route to goal.
Ibrahimovic celebrates what he thought was a perfectly good goal.
It certainly seems a very harsh decision.
Jose Mourinho made it perfectly clear that he did not agree from the sidelines, and he will no doubt have a few interesting things to say after the game.
The decision has been widely ridiculed on social media.
Absolutely appalling decision by Lee Mason in ruling out Ibrahimovic's clever finish.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) December 31, 2016
That is another awful decision against #mufc this season. Risible refereeing from Lee Mason.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) December 31, 2016
Lee Mason almost trying too hard in 1st half. Disallowing goals for no reason in particular. Just relax Lee,and that move to China will come
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) December 31, 2016
