Wayne Rooney left fuming as Dean Henderson survives red card scare in FA Cup final – before Crystal Palace star SAVES penalty against Man City

• Henderson handled outside his penalty area when closed by Erling Haaland
• VAR officials ruled his offence was not the denial of a goalscoring opportunity
• LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Was Cole Palmer right to leave Man City? 

By MICHAEL PAVITT

Wayne Rooney called for VAR to be abolished after Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson survived a red card scare against Man City, before producing a superb penalty save.

Henderson was left sweating over a VAR decision after coming to the edge of his box and palming the ball away from the rapidly approaching Erling Haaland.

 The VAR check followed for a potential denial of a goalscoring opportunity with Henderson clearly handling the ball outside of his penalty area.

Henderson ultimately survived the scare, with VAR officials determining that Haaland was going away from the goal, making the chance a possible goalscoring opportunity rather than an obvious one.

Speaking on the BBC, former Man United forward Rooney insisted the Crystal Palace goalkeeper should have been sent off and called for VAR to be abolished.

‘It is a red card, 100 per cent a red card,’ Rooney said. ‘Haaland is about to knock it around him and he sweeps the ball away from him.

‘It is a red card, how can they get this wrong.

Crystal Palace star Dean Henderson handled outside his box with Erling Haaland approaching

Henderson avoided being sent off for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity after a VAR check

VAR ruled Haaland was going away from goal, making it only a possible goalscoring chance

‘Just get rid of VAR. They have made a mistake and now they are trying to cover up. 

‘It is a red card and everyone can see it’s a red card, to come out with all this rubbish.’

Former Crystal Palace forward Ian Wright, speaking on ITV, labelled the decision ‘crazy’.

‘How they could say this is not denying a goalscoring opportunity is absolutely pathetic.

‘It is crazy, he is going to tap that past him and tap it into the goal.’

Ex-Man City defender Joelon Lescot added: ‘If Henderson doesn’t touch it, Haaland gets there and slots it into an empty goal with his right foot.

‘That is one of the worst decisions I’ve seen in football.’

Having avoided being sent off, Henderson would then come to Crystal Palace’s rescue later in the first half to preserve their 1-0 lead.

Wayne Rooney insisted it was ‘100 per cent a red card’ and called for VAR to be abolished 

Henderson then came to Crystal Palace’s rescue with a penalty save from Omar Marmoush

The England international celebrated his penalty stop to preserve Palace’s 1-0 advantage

Henderson produced a superb penalty save from Omar Marmoush, after Tyrick Mitchell brought down Bernardo Silva in the box with a sliding challenge.

The England international dived to his right to keep out the Man City forward’s effort.

Henderson would then claim the ball on the rebound and celebrated with his Palace team-mates.

The Eagles had taken a shock lead at Wembley through Eberechi Eze, with the Eagles star firing home from Daniel Munoz’s cross. 

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Wayne Rooney left fuming as Dean Henderson survives red card scare in FA Cup final – before Crystal Palace star SAVES penalty against Man City

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