Dermot Gallagher defends officials over disallowed Alvaro Morata goal

Former Premier League official Dermot Gallagher has defended the decision to rule out a goal from Chelsea forward Alvaro Morata in Sunday's clash with Manchester United.

With United leading 2-1 in the game at Old Trafford, Morata fired a shot in off the far post before seeing that the assistant had flagged him offside.

Replays suggested that the Spaniard may have been level with the last United defender, but Gallagher has attempted to play down Antonio Conte's criticism of the decision.

Gallagher told Sky Sports News: "It's so, so tight. What I would say is that even with VAR, it's not guaranteed to be a goal. Irrespective of whether it is right or wrong, the referee blew before he hit the ball into the net so it would not have been a goal.

On the offside itself, Gallagher added: This is how tricky it is. VAR would have had a long time studying it."

United came through the closing stages to secure a hard-earned victory, a result which ensured that they moved six points clear of Chelsea in the top-flight standings.