Manchester United winger Nani has hit the headlines this week after notching a controversial effort against Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday evening.
The Red Devils won their Premier League test 2-0 at Old Trafford and the Portuguese star’s strike clinched the victory in the closing stages.
After he handled the ball in Spurs’ penalty area, goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, expecting referee Mark Clattenburg to award a free-kick, bowled the ball out to take the set-piece.
But no whistle came and Nani dusted himself down and slotted into the unguarded net.
Despite the visitors’ protestations, Clattenburg allowed the goal to stand even after consultations with his assistant closest to the event.
There have been many controversial goals in the Premier League era and there will no doubt be a vast amount more in the coming seasons.
Take Dirk Kuyt’s weird goal for Liverpool against Sunderland at Anfield this term.
The Dutchman tapped home Fernando Torres’ pass after the Black Cats were awarded a free-kick.
Defender Michael Turner nonchalantly back-heeled towards goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, expecting the shot-stopper to take the kick himself.
But the quick-thinking Torres reacted, claimed possession and squared for Kuyt to score, much to the visitors’ rage.
Perhaps that fortunate goal was something of karma after Darren Bent’s goal against the Reds at the Stadium of Light last season.
The England man’s tame shot looked set to be saved with ease by Pepe Reina, but a stray beachball, thrown on to the pitch by a Liverpool supporter, inadvertently deflected the leather casing into the centre of the goal.
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Peter Enckelman, the former Aston Villa goalkeeper, made a hash of dealing with Olof Mellberg’s throw-in during their West Midlands derby clash at Birmingham City back in 2002.
The Finland international attempted to trap the ball, but a lapse in concentration saw the unfortunate glovesman allow the ball to run under his foot and into the back of the net.
St Andrew’s erupted with fans running on and confronting the beleaguered number one.
However, he always insisted the ball didn’t scrape his studs and he remains adamant that the effort simply should not have counted.
Perhaps not so much controversial, but Dion Dublin’s goal for Coventry City against Newcastle United in 1997 raised a few eyebrows.
Custodian Shay Given collected the ball in his area and, after looking around him to make sure the coast was clear, the Irishman rolled the ball out in the box.
But he hadn’t noticed that Dublin was behind him and the frontman simply nipped in from behind and tucked a cheeky effort into the back of the onion bag.
