Dean Henderson emerged as the headline name in a pulsating FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, as Crystal Palace clinched their first-ever major trophy with a dramatic 1-0 win over Manchester City. But despite his match-winning performance — capped by a stunning penalty save — it was a controversial first-half incident that has sparked widespread debate and overshadowed the occasion for some.
In the 28th minute, with Palace clinging to their 1-0 lead courtesy of Eberechi Eze’s 16th-minute strike, Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol launched a long ball over the top for Erling Haaland to chase. Henderson, caught in two minds, raced out of his area and reached for the ball just outside the penalty box — using his hand to push it clear and away from the advancing striker.
The moment, replayed repeatedly across social media and television screens, left many viewers stunned that referee Stuart Attwell did not issue a red card. VAR reviewed the incident but opted not to intervene, concluding that the contact did not deny an “obvious goalscoring opportunity.”
According to the explanation offered, Haaland’s direction of travel was “away from goal” and Palace defender Maxence Lacroix had made up ground to cover, leading officials to decide against a dismissal.
Yet former players and pundits have reacted with incredulity. Wayne Rooney, speaking on BBC One, branded the decision a “100% red card” and slammed the use of VAR:
“Erling Haaland is about to knock it around [Henderson] and Dean Henderson sweeps the ball away. It’s a red card — how can they get this wrong? Just get rid of VAR.”
Rooney’s fury was echoed by Alan Shearer, who acknowledged Henderson’s outstanding performance but conceded he was “slightly fortunate” to remain on the pitch.
The rules regarding denial of a goalscoring opportunity — often referred to as DOGSO — depend on several factors: the distance to goal, the direction of play, the number of defenders, and the attacker’s control of the ball. Critics argue that while Lacroix was recovering, Haaland still had a genuine chance to score, and Henderson’s deliberate handball constituted a clear breach.
Adding to the controversy was the fact that Manchester City were not even awarded a free-kick for the offence. The failure to penalise the incident has only heightened scrutiny of both Attwell and the VAR team.
Despite the controversy, Henderson’s performance will go down in Palace folklore. Minutes after the handball, he produced a full-stretch save to deny Omar Marmoush from the penalty spot, a moment that would ultimately define the final. City dominated possession and registered 23 shots — the most ever recorded without scoring in an FA Cup final — but Palace’s resilience held firm.
Post-match, City manager Pep Guardiola remained tight-lipped, repeatedly telling reporters to “ask the referee” when questioned on the incident. Bernardo Silva, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, admitted the team “missed quality in the final third,” though he too acknowledged that the Henderson incident may have changed the outcome.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, for his part, focused on the historic nature of the win.
“The spirit and togetherness on the pitch was amazing. We knew we had to be patient. Today, it worked.”
But for all the celebrations in south London, the debate over VAR’s role in football — and its apparent inconsistency — rages on. For many fans and pundits alike, the FA Cup final was not just a story of triumph and underdog glory, but another chapter in the sport’s increasingly complex relationship with technology.
As the curtain falls on the 2024-25 season, the question remains: was Henderson the hero of Wembley — or simply the beneficiary of a system still unable to deliver clarity?
