Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson found himself in the thick of the action during the FA Cup final against Manchester City. In a sequence of events that captivated and divided fans, he first avoided a potential red card for handling the ball outside his penalty area before becoming a hero by saving a crucial penalty just ten minutes later.
The incident that sparked debate occurred with the scoreline at 1-0 to Crystal Palace, following Eberechi Eze`s opener in the 16th minute at Wembley. Manchester City pushed for an equalizer, and a long pass sent striker Erling Haaland through towards the Palace goal.
As Haaland attempted to control the bouncing ball just outside the box, Henderson raced out of his goal line and used his hand to bat the ball away. The referee initially allowed play to continue, but the VAR intervened to check for a potential red card.
Replays clearly showed Henderson`s arm was outside the box when he made contact with the ball, prompting many to expect a sending off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. However, the VAR officials ultimately decided against a red card, explaining that they felt Haaland`s direction of movement didn`t constitute an “obvious” goal-scoring chance.
This decision drew strong criticism from pundits. Wayne Rooney on BBC One was visibly frustrated, stating, “It`s a red card… how can we get this wrong? Just get rid of VAR.” Ian Wright echoed this sentiment on ITV, calling the decision “absolutely pathetic” and arguing it was clearly a denied goal-scoring opportunity. Joleon Lescott described it as “one of the worst decisions I`ve seen in football.”
Just moments after his reprieve, Henderson was tested again when a penalty was awarded to Manchester City. The decision came after Tyrick Mitchell was deemed to have fouled Bernardo Silva inside the box, although replays suggested Mitchell might have touched the ball first. Despite a VAR check, the on-field decision for a penalty stood.
With the pressure immense, Omar Marmoush stepped up to take the spot-kick instead of the usual penalty taker, Erling Haaland. After a delay, Marmoush struck the ball, but Henderson made a brilliant diving save to his right, pushing the shot away and preserving Crystal Palace`s narrow lead.
This crucial save proved pivotal in the match. Crystal Palace held on to their 1-0 advantage, securing a historic victory and lifting their first major trophy, with Dean Henderson`s eventful ten minutes becoming a defining moment of the final.
