LONDON – In a historic moment for English football, referee Jarred Gillett became the first official to wear a camera, known as the RefCam, during an English Premier League match as Crystal Palace delivered a stunning 4-0 victory against Manchester United on Monday.
While the footage captured by Gillett’s device was not broadcast live, it will be incorporated into a program created by the league to provide insights into the challenges and intricacies of refereeing at the elite level.
However, alongside this technological milestone, the match also highlighted Manchester United’s glaring defensive shortcomings.
Crystal Palace took the lead in the 13th minute as Michael Olise exploited hesitant defending to score the opener. Jean-Philippe Mateta doubled the lead just before halftime with a clinical finish past Jonny Evans.
The Manchester United defense continued to falter, conceding a third goal when Tyrick Mitchell capitalized on defensive disarray to extend Palace’s lead. Moments later, Daniel Muñoz dispossessed Casemiro, setting up Olise for his second goal of the match.
Despite missing key players such as captain Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire, and Marcus Rashford, Manchester United was unable to contain Palace’s relentless attacking display.
United’s struggles were further compounded as two goals were disallowed, leaving them in eighth place in the Premier League standings, outside the automatic European qualification spots.
With three league games remaining, United’s focus now shifts to the FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 25, where a victory would secure Europa League qualification.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace’s emphatic win sees them maintain their position in 14th place in the league standings.
