Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson was the hero of Saturday’s FA Cup final, delivering a series of vital saves that helped the Eagles secure a 1-0 victory over Manchester City. His standout moment came when he brilliantly saved a penalty from Omar Marmoush, keeping Palace in control at Wembley.

However, Henderson’s performance wasn’t without controversy. During a tense moment in the match, Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol played a long ball over the top for Erling Haaland to chase. As Haaland pursued the ball, Henderson hesitated before reaching out with his hand outside the penalty area to block the striker’s run.

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the incident but decided not to penalize Henderson. Officials explained that, given Haaland’s direction of movement, the handball did not deny an “obvious goal-scoring opportunity,” allowing play to continue.

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney disagreed strongly with the decision, calling the handball a “100% red card” during BBC One coverage and went further to suggest scrapping VAR entirely, echoing a widespread frustration with the technology’s influence on key decisions.

The incident has once again stirred debate over VAR’s consistency in football’s biggest matches. Regardless, Henderson’s penalty save remains the defining moment as Crystal Palace claim FA Cup glory.