PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), which manages Premier League match officials, contacted the club on Sunday night to acknowledge that Haaland’s decisive strike should have been sent back to the referee for a pitchside look before it was given. The 1-0 result stands.
Haaland turned in a cross from Josko Gvardiol that had clipped United defender Patrick Dorgu on its way through, beating goalkeeper Senne Lammens at the far post. The assistant flagged for offside. VAR Matt Donohue overruled the flag, judging Haaland himself onside and reasoning that a City player, standing in an offside position and running for the ball in front of him, had not touched it.
The offside VAR waved through
The refereeing body said the player’s failure to make contact meant an offside call would have been “subjective”, but that VAR should still have escalated it to the referee.
“On this occasion, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position and should have recommended an on-field review,” the statement read.
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“Contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgement,” the statement added.
An internal review of the incident will follow.
Foden dismissed in the 23rd minute
Manchester City had played almost the whole game a man down. Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute for a high kick on Bruno Fernandes, leaving Pep Guardiola’s side to hold United off with 10 players. Haaland’s goal came 37 minutes later, and it was the only goal of the derby.
United manager Michael Carrick called the officials’ conclusion “worrying” after the match.
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“Every season the officials come to our club and spend an hour explaining the rules and they look so confident with that. Then after, five or six people doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable,” defender Lisandro Martinez told Sky Sports.
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