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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said his players had every right to surround referee Craig Pawson - after Manchester United were hit with an FA charge.

United have been charged with failing to control their players after six of their team surrounded Pawson to protest at a goal awarded against them during Sunday's 2-0 defeat at arch rivals Liverpool.

The goal was eventually chalked off after VAR deemed Virgil van Dijk had fouled United keeper David De Gea in the build-up, but only after furious United players, including skipper Harry Maguire, surrounded Pawson to protest.

United have until Thursday to respond to the charge but Solskjaer said his players had been vindicated with the first-half goal being disallowed.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

"Maybe I shouldn't talk too much about that," said Solskjaer. "Let's get that decision done but, it [the goal] was overturned. "I reacted myself, because everybody could see it was a foul."

Sky Sports pundit and former United skipper Roy Keane slammed the decision to disallow the goal.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters) (Image: Action Images via Reuters)

"Why he's disallowed this goal is beyond me. I can't get my head around it. He's got his eye on the ball.

"De Gea's done this before, I think there's a softness to him. The game's gone mad."

Graeme Souness added: "Under no circumstances is that a foul. If you’re talking about VAR as some sort of magnificent computer that's perfect in every way, it's human error and they don't know what they're doing, that's the bottom line.

"It's laughable. How much more honest could he be in his challenge?"