The controversial Erling Haaland goal that decided the Manchester derby has continued to generate major discussion after the Premier League’s refereeing body acknowledged that VAR officials made an error in allowing the goal to stand.
VAR official Matt Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus have subsequently been stood down from Premier League duty for the following matchweek after Pro Ref reviewed the incident and concluded that the winning goal should not have been awarded. Both officials are expected to have their availability reconsidered after the international break.
The controversy came during Manchester City’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, September 13, with Haaland scoring the decisive goal in the 60th minute.
The Norwegian striker appeared to have put City ahead after turning home a cross from Josko Gvardiol. However, the goal was initially ruled out for offside by referee Michael Oliver.
A VAR review was then conducted, with Donohue checking the decision. Semi-automated offside technology established that Haaland himself was in an onside position, with Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu playing him onside.
The problem, according to Pro Ref, was what happened earlier in the attacking move.
Manchester City midfielder Enzo Fernández was in an offside position as Gvardiol’s cross travelled into the penalty area. Fernández attempted to play the ball without actually making contact with it, while United defender Lisandro Martínez reacted to his presence.
The VAR team determined that Fernández had not played the ball and therefore did not commit an offside offence that affected the goal.
However, Pro Ref later acknowledged that the VAR officials failed to properly consider the impact of Fernández’s position on the play.
The refereeing body said the VAR should have recommended that Michael Oliver conduct an on-field review rather than simply allowing the goal to stand. Pro Ref subsequently contacted Manchester United to acknowledge what it described as an “error of judgment.”
The admission has intensified the debate surrounding VAR and the interpretation of offside offences in the Premier League.
For Manchester United, the decision was particularly costly because Haaland’s goal proved to be the difference between the two sides.
City had already been reduced to 10 men before the winning goal after Phil Foden was shown a red card in the first half for kicking Bruno Fernandes during a confrontation between the players.
Despite playing with a numerical disadvantage, City remained organised and eventually found the breakthrough through Haaland.
The goal was also another significant moment in Haaland’s Manchester derby record. It was his ninth goal against United since joining Manchester City, further underlining his impact in the fixture.
United defender Martínez was among those who questioned the decision immediately after the match. The Argentine explained that Fernández’s position affected his movement because he reacted to the City midfielder’s attempt to reach the ball, leaving Haaland with more space at the far post.
United manager Michael Carrick also expressed his frustration with the decision after the match, questioning how the officials could conclude that Fernández had not interfered with the play despite his position and attempted movement toward the ball.
City manager Enzo Maresca, meanwhile, defended the decision at the time, arguing that Haaland was onside and that Fernández had not touched the ball.
The controversy has since shifted from the players and managers to the officials themselves.
Howard Webb, Pro Ref’s chief refereeing officer, later described the problem as a case of “tunnel vision” during the VAR review. According to Webb, the officials became focused on determining Haaland’s position and failed to step back and properly assess the wider attacking sequence involving Fernández.
The decision to stand down Donohue and Antrobus represents the immediate consequence of the admitted error. The officials will not be involved in the next Premier League matchweek, although Pro Ref has not described the move as a permanent disciplinary sanction.
The incident has once again placed VAR at the centre of Premier League discussions, particularly over whether technology is being used effectively when decisions involve subjective interpretations of interference.
For Manchester City, the controversy does not change the result. They left Old Trafford with a 1-0 victory and three points. For Manchester United, however, the admitted officiating error leaves the club and its supporters questioning what might have happened had the original offside decision remained in place.
With Pro Ref now reviewing the incident and the VAR officials temporarily stood down, the Manchester derby controversy is likely to remain one of the most discussed refereeing decisions of the early 2026/27 Premier League season.
