Why VAR allowed controversial Manuel Lanzini goal for West Ham United against Leeds United to stand

The past two seasons have featured a number of hotly disputed calls involving video technology, including a Patrick Bamford goal at Crystal Palace that was chalked off for offside because he pointed to where he wanted the ball to be played.

READ: 15 times VAR has intervened in Leeds United gamesWest Ham's opener in the FA Cup third round tie at London Stadium on Sunday has caused just as much debate as the Selhurst Park incident.

The Hammers took the lead when Michail Antonio crossed into the area, Nikola Vlasic challenged for the ball with Leo Hjelde, Jarrod Bowen ran across Illan Meslier and in the confusion the ball dropped for Manuel Lanzini to finish. Referee Stuart Attwell and his assistants allowed the goal to stand but even without the aid of replays, Leeds' players led by Luke Ayling argued that Bowen was in an offside position when he moved towards the ball and therefore the goal should be disallowed.

Replays showed Bowen was beyond the last defender when Vlasic initially touched the ball and the former Hull City man did appear to make an attempt to play the ball as Meslier was attempting to gather.

But a lengthy VAR review by Peter Bankes and his assistant Lee Betts eventually determined that no clear and obvious officiating error had been made, so the goal was allowed to stand.

Leeds captain Liam Cooper, currently out injured, Tweeted his disgust and the club's owner Andrea Radrizzani also suggested on social media that it was clearly offside, as Whites supporters at the ground and online voiced their confusion as to why the goal was not ruled out.

The YEP understands that both the VAR and AVAR felt that Bowen's movements and actions did not clearly impact the ability of Meslier to attempt to make a save. The phase of play was then re-set and when Vlasic played the ball again Bowen was in an onside position.

According to the International Football Association Board, Law 11 says: "A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by interfering by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or interfering with an opponent by preventing them from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball or clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball."

Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa never comments on officials' decisions and declined to depart from his traditional stance after Leeds' 2-0 defeat. He did, however, credit West Ham for a deserved victory having created more chances than his Whites side.