Manchester City’s derby winner should not have counted. That is the verdict of English football’s own referee body, Pro Ref, which broke ranks on Sunday evening and told Manchester United the VAR review that let Erling Haaland’s goal stand had been “an error of judgment”.
The goal came in the 60th minute at Old Trafford, from a Josko Gvardiol cross that deflected through to Haaland, and it was scored by a City side that had been down to 10 men since the 23rd. On-field it was flagged offside. After a long review, VAR official Matt Donohue overturned the flag and gave the goal, ruling that offside City midfielder Enzo Fernandez had not touched the ball.
Pro Ref, the body formerly known as PGMOL, disagreed with its own official. In a statement issued the same evening it said the VAR “did not recognise the likely impact” of Fernandez’s position and “should have recommended an on-field review”, adding that “contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgment.”
‘Anyone who’s played the game understands’
Wayne Rooney did not wait for that admission. On BBC’s Match of the Day the same evening, the former Manchester United captain tore into the decision.
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“I’m just so sick of this VAR. I think it’s horrendous,” Rooney said.
“Anyone who’s played the game at any level understands that and knows that he’s in an offside position. So to get it so wrong, it’s just baffling.”
Rooney also argued the technology had drained the sport of its atmosphere, saying VAR takes “all the emotion of the game, the energy which the game’s played with”.
Down to 10 for more than an hour
The result stung United twice over. Phil Foden had already been sent off in the 23rd minute for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes after being fouled by the United midfielder, referee Michael Oliver going straight to red without a VAR review of Fernandes’s role. City then played more than 70 minutes a man light and still took all three points.
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Head coach Michael Carrick, who is contracted at United through 2028, called the officiating “worrying” in his post-match press conference, noting that several officials had signed off on the same mistake.
Defender Lisandro Martinez was blunter.
“Five or six people doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable,” he told Sky Sports.
Pro Ref confirmed a review of the incident will take place.
