MANCHESTER — Refereeing body Pro Ref has admitted an "error of judgment" in awarding Manchester City's winner in their 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, saying VAR should have recommended an on-field review for Erling Haaland's decisive goal.
Haaland's second-half winner in the 60th minute secured the result for 10-man Manchester City after his effort was initially disallowed for offside on the pitch before VAR overturned the call. VAR officials deemed Haaland was played onside by Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu, but Manchester City's Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position as he attempted to play the ball before it reached Haaland. Despite not touching the ball, Fernandez's movement appeared to impact the defending of Lisandro Martinez before Haaland's back-post finish, which by the laws of the game should have led to the goal remaining disallowed. A Pro Ref spokesperson said: "Following the incident in the 60th minute of Sunday's Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford, we can provide clarification regarding Erling Haaland's awarded goal. The on-field decision was offside against Erling Haaland - that was checked by VAR and he was found to be in an onside position. In the same attack, it was established that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball and therefore that makes any offside offence subjective, however, on this occasion, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position and should have recommended an on-field review. Contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgement. A review of the incident will take place."
The Premier League Match Centre had defended the decision on X, writing: 'VAR checked the referee's call of no goal for offside - and determined that Haaland was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded. The VAR also deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn't play the ball.' Speaking at the time on co-commentary, Sky Sports' Gary Neville said the VAR officials were "wrong" to award the effort, adding: "We will see an apology from Pro Ref. There is no doubt that Enzo is attempting to play the ball and putting Lisandro Martinez off. It's a really strange one. They'll recognise they got that wrong." Neville later added on his podcast: "I think they are ignoring the rule. They are digging themselves a bigger hole [with the Match Centre statement]. I'm really surprised they put that out."
Manchester United defender Martinez said in his post-match interview: "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 [officials] doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable. We have to go home with this injustice." Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards dismissed the Match Centre explanation as "nonsense," telling Sky Sports: "One hundred per cent he is. I think it's been a bad day for referees and VAR. They got the Phil Foden decision wrong, and they got this decision wrong. How you can not say Enzo Fernandez is challenging for the ball - of course he is! I've been in that position as a defender where any slight movement can make the difference for going for the ball or not, so of course it affects him. I just think they've got it so wrong." Roy Keane added: "Fernandez is interfering with play. Basically, United have been punished for holding a good line. When you are in that position, you are impacting the game. You're in the middle of the box, you're going for the ball. Their line is good. Fernandez is offside, and he goes to play the ball, so United are getting punished for good defending."
Pro Ref, formerly known as PGMO after a rebrand in the summer, is English football's refereeing body led by ex-Premier League referee Howard Webb. The body oversees the four men's top divisions, the National League, the WSL and the U21s Premier League 2, and said a review of the Old Trafford incident will now take place.