Rio Ferdinand questions use of VAR after Glenn Murray's late winner for Brighton v Crystal Palace: 'The debate is still there... it's still inconclusive'

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Glenn Murray struck late to send Brighton through to the fourth round of the FA Cup. But his goal in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace sparked controversy over the Video Assistant Referee system which was being used for the first time in English football.

TV pundit Rio Ferdinand labelled the 87th-minute goal 'inconclusive' as images were shown on the big screen inside the Amex Stadium and Crystal Palace supporters appealed for handball — although Palace boss Roy Hodgson had no complaints.

Television replays showed the ball clearly came off Murray's knee to make it 2-1 to Brighton but it was then unclear whether there was slight contact with his arm.

Rio Ferdinand has questioned the use of VAR after Glenn Murray's late winner for Brighton

Murray's winner against Crystal Palace initially appeared to come off the striker's arm

Although replays showed that the ball did in fact hit Murray's thigh instead before going in

It is understood the goal was discussed by referee Andre Marriner and VAR Neil Swarbrick, who was based at the Premier League Match Centre in Stockley Park near Heathrow Airport. Marriner decided not to watch any replays on the monitor based by the side of the Amex pitch.

Ferdinand said on BT Sport: 'It has to be cleared up completely. There can be no grey areas.

'We've got the Palace fans in the away end here who were asking us whether it was handball or not. 

Brighton players celebrate after Murray's goal secured a 2-1 victory over derby rivals Palace

'The pictures we saw were kind of inconclusive in some respects. I thought initially it was definitely off his knee but if we had another angle maybe you'd be able to see the other side if it's off his arm as well. The debate is still there.

'We've got human error, we've got the visuals and the different pictures after and it's still inconclusive.'

Steven Gerrard added: 'I think it definitely clipped his knee first. Whether it brushed his arm or not… I don't think there was any intention there. 

Andre Marriner was the man in the middle during VAR's debut at the Amex on Monday night

'The goal should have stood and they've got it right but it is important that VAR has every single angle possible to make these big decisions.'

Hodgson, despite being on the losing side, applauded the VAR system as the Palace manager said: 'We had suspicions at first, without a doubt, and those were fuelled by the people close to the goalkeeper and the players close by.

'They seemed to be incensed and from our angle, to be fair, it looks for all the world like he's guided the ball in with his arm, but I think you have to congratulate the system.

The VAR watched the game away from the stadium, with a bank of TV feeds from the match

'When you watch it lots of times, like they have been able to do from different angles, I think it would have been very harsh.

'There is still a slight risk, a slight thought that it might just have come off his thigh and brushed off his arm into the goal.

'But to be honest if it had been my player scoring that goal I would have been very upset if it had been disallowed for handball. I think it was a genuine goal.'

There was no feed available of the video review either for TV viewers or those in the ground