Premier League referees admit VAR error in Manchester derby winner
The Premier League refereeing body admitted a mistake after awarding Erling Haaland a winning goal for Manchester City in Sunday's match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Officials acknowledge the mistake
Pro Ref stated that the video assistant referee failed to recognize the likely impact of Enzo Fernández's position during the attack. The organization confirmed that the on-field decision was initially offside against Haaland before VAR intervened to find him in an onside position. A spokesperson explained that while Fernández did not play the ball, the VAR should have recommended an on-field review instead.
Manchester United responds to ruling
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick described the decision as worrying after the match concluded. Defender Lisandro Martínez called the outcome an injustice because he challenged Fernández for the ball during the sequence. The club has been contacted by officials to acknowledge what they deem an error of judgement.
Review process begins now
The elite officiating body will review the incident following their contact with Manchester United this evening. This admission marks a correction regarding the goal scored in the 60th minute of the fixture. The review aims to clarify how the offside offence was assessed in relation to the midfielder's involvement.
All 2 outlets report consistently
No differences in figures, names or dates across these reports.
- ESPN
- The Guardian
Reported by
2 independent outlets. Headlines as published. Links open the original report.