Premier League refereeing body Pro Ref has acknowledged that officials made an error in allowing Erling Haaland’s decisive goal to stand in Manchester City’s dramatic derby victory over Manchester United.
Haaland scored in the 60th minute at Old Trafford, converting Josko Gvardiol’s cross at the back post. The assistant referee initially ruled the effort out for offside, but a VAR review overturned the decision after replays showed United defender Patrick Dorgu’s boot had kept the City striker onside.
The controversy instead centred on Enzo Fernandez, who was positioned ahead of the defensive line and attempted to reach the same cross with a diving header.
Although Fernandez failed to make contact with the ball, questions were raised over whether his movement affected United’s defenders and therefore constituted interference from an offside position.
Pro Ref says VAR should have intervened differently
Following a post-match assessment, Pro Ref concluded that the VAR team should have considered Fernandez’s impact more carefully.
Because he did not touch the ball, the decision over whether he committed an offside offence depended on whether his position or attempted header influenced an opponent. Pro Ref said the VAR failed to properly identify that issue and should have advised referee Michael Oliver to review the incident on the pitch-side monitor.
The refereeing organisation subsequently contacted Manchester United to acknowledge what it considered an incorrect judgement and confirmed that the incident would undergo a further review.
United defender Lisandro Martinez criticised the outcome after the match, while manager Michael Carrick also expressed confusion over how the goal was allowed to stand.
Replays showed Fernandez attempting to meet Gvardiol’s delivery in the middle of the six-yard box while Martinez moved towards the danger. The City player missed the ball, which had taken a slight touch off Dorgu before travelling across goal to Haaland.
VAR determined that Haaland himself was onside, but Fernandez’s involvement became the central issue once the goal was awarded.
Derby already surrounded by controversy
The disputed winner came during an eventful Manchester derby in which City had already been reduced to 10 players.
Phil Foden was shown a straight red card in the 23rd minute after kicking out at United captain Bruno Fernandes while the midfielder was on the ground. Referee Michael Oliver immediately dismissed the City attacker.
Haaland’s goal later added another major talking point.
From the initial angle, the Norwegian appeared to have moved beyond United’s defensive line, making the assistant referee’s offside flag seem straightforward. VAR technology, however, showed Dorgu’s boot playing Haaland onside and led officials to recommend that the goal be given.
The Premier League’s Match Centre confirmed during the game that VAR had overturned the original offside decision because Haaland was in a legal position. Officials also judged that Fernandez had not played the ball despite being offside.
That interpretation has now been questioned by Pro Ref itself.
Under the offside law, a player does not necessarily need to touch the ball to commit an offence. An offside player can still be penalised if their actions clearly interfere with an opponent’s ability to play the ball.
Pro Ref’s admission means the debate is no longer focused on Haaland’s positioning, which VAR established was legal, but on whether Fernandez’s attempted header had enough influence on United’s defenders for the goal to be disallowed.
Despite the refereeing body recognising the mistake after the match, the result remains unchanged, leaving Haaland’s goal as the decisive moment in City’s remarkable derby win.