Manchester United were denied an opening goal against Chelsea after VAR intervened to overturn the referee's decision during their Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge.

According to a report by Football London on Saturday, 31 October 2026, the Premier League Match Centre explained why Matheus Cunha's effort was disallowed after the forward appeared to put Michael Carrick's side ahead.

Cunha had bundled the ball over the goal line, prompting celebrations among the visiting supporters.

However, Manchester United's hopes of taking the lead were quickly dashed when the officials reviewed the incident.

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) subsequently determined that the Brazilian forward was in an offside position when the attacking move developed.

Following the intervention, the referee overturned the original decision to award the goal, leaving United frustrated as Chelsea escaped an early setback.

The Premier League Match Centre provided an official explanation through its social media account, confirming that the decision followed a VAR review.

"#CHEMUN – 34’ VAR OVERTURN. VAR checked the referee’s call of goal – and determined that Cunha was in an offside position and recommended that the goal was disallowed."

The decision proved an important moment in the contest, particularly for Chelsea, who entered the fixture looking to return to winning ways following their recent disappointing results.

Xabi Alonso's side were under pressure to deliver a positive performance against a Manchester United team also struggling for consistency under Carrick.

For United, the disallowed effort represented a frustrating setback after they thought they had made the breakthrough at Stamford Bridge.

The incident also highlighted the continued influence of VAR in Premier League matches, with the technology once again playing a decisive role in determining whether a goal should stand.