Early on in the EFL Cup final, Southampton looked to have gone ahead thanks to a Manolo Gabbiadini goal, only for the effort to be harshly ruled out for offside.
Never at any moment did Gabbiadini look offside. Bad break for Saints.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) February 26, 2017
Shocking decision. Replays show Manolo Gabbiadini not offside as he tapped home. Bertrand was, but he wasn't. #MUFC 0-0 #SaintsFC
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) February 26, 2017
Bad times, but after subsequently going 2-0 down, Southampton managed to level the scores thanks to, you guessed it, two goals from that man Gabbiadini.
GOOOOALLLL!!
We’re level at Wembley!! Gabbiadini’s fantastic strike brings @SouthamptonFC back to 2-2! #EFLCupFinal pic.twitter.com/CAgR716zrd
— EFL Cup (@EFLCup) February 26, 2017
In the end, Manchester United broke Southampton hearts with a late winner, which had fans ruing the 25-year-old Saints striker’s disallowed opener.
At least Gabbiadini gets to take the match ball home
..oh wait.#EFLCupFinal
— Daniel Holloway (@RFCdan) February 26, 2017
Everyone going nuts cos Ibrahimovic scored 2, well Gabbiadini scored 3. #saintsfc
— Dean Harding (@deanoharding) February 26, 2017
So fans, including Peter Reid, decided to celebrate the ‘hat-trick’ anyway.
Gabbiadini GOAL disallowed, a hat trick. Poor officiating.
— Peter Reid (@reid6peter) February 26, 2017
Shane Long on got Manolo Gabbiadini – who has scored two goals (well three really) and has run himself to a standstill.
— Phil McNulty (@philmcnulty) February 26, 2017
3 – Manolo Gabbiadini is the first person to score 3 goals in a League Cup final. Offside.
— OptaJoke (@OptaJoke) February 26, 2017
"No one has ever scored a hat trick in a league cup final"
Well Gabbiadini has…
— Ben 'Benson' Bowe (@Benson_EU) February 26, 2017
Gabbiadini scores an imperfect hat-trick
Goal
Goal
Offside goal— SportsJOE.ie (@SportsJOEdotie) February 26, 2017
A moral victory for Gabbiadini then, although we’re not sure that’s going to mean all that much.
