A contentious VAR decision dominated the headlines following Manchester City’s narrow 1-0 victory over rivals Manchester United, with Erling Haaland’s goal, initially ruled out for offside, ultimately awarded after a lengthy review. The decision gave City the lead while playing with 10 men and condemned United to their second defeat of the season.
The incident unfolded when Haaland found the back of the net, marking his fourth league goal of the campaign. The on-field referee immediately disallowed the strike, signaling for offside. However, the Video Assistant Referee intervened, prompting a review that ultimately overturned the initial call, much to the bewilderment of many observers, including former players and pundits.
The offside rule under scrutiny
The complexity of the offside rule, particularly regarding the moment of judgment and the involvement of multiple players, was at the heart of the controversy. The law states that offside is judged at the moment the ball is last played by a teammate, not when it reaches the scorer. Furthermore, a deflection off a defender does not reset the offside phase unless it is deemed a deliberate play of the ball rather than a block or a ricochet.
The VAR’s review focused on two key aspects: Haaland’s position and the involvement of another City player, Enzo Fernandez, who was also in an offside position. The Premier League Match Centre, via its official X account, clarified the decision, stating:
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For a player in an offside position to be penalised, they must be:
- Preventing an opponent from playing the ball by clearly obstructing their line of vision.
- Challengening the opponent for the ball.
- Clearly attempting to play the ball which is close when this action impacts an opponent.
- Making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball.
Pundits express confusion
Despite the official explanation, the decision left many unconvinced. On commentary, Gary Neville voiced his confusion, stating, “I need the offside law explained to me, that has lost me, I have to say. It will need an official to explain to us why he’s not offside.”
Similarly, on BBC’s coverage, Wayne Rooney questioned the ruling, arguing that Fernandez’s movement impacted Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez. “Surely it’s offside. Martinez is impacted by Enzo’s movement, and he is offside,” Rooney remarked.
The incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding VAR’s application of nuanced rules, especially in high-stakes derby matches, where every decision is magnified and scrutinised.
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