Premier League Takes Action After Controversial Haaland Goal
The mistake that decided the Manchester derby has now resulted in consequences for the VAR officials involved.
The controversy surrounding Erling Haaland’s winning goal in the Manchester derby continues to have repercussions. After English refereeing authorities acknowledged an error in the review, the two VAR officials involved have been left off the appointments for the next round of Premier League matches.
Matt Donohue, who was responsible for VAR during Manchester City’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United, has not been selected for any Premier League match next weekend. The same applies to Blake Antrobus, who served as assistant VAR in the derby.
The decision was made by Howard Webb, the head of English professional refereeing, and his team. Neither official is expected to return to duty until at least after the upcoming international break.
The Error That Ultimately Decided the Manchester Derby
The decisive incident occurred in the 60th minute, when Haaland scored the only goal of the game to give Manchester City a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
The goal was initially ruled out for offside. However, following a VAR review, officials determined that Haaland himself was in a legal position and overturned the original decision.
The controversy centered on Enzo Fernández, who attempted to play the ball while standing in an offside position. Although he did not make contact, the key question was whether his movement affected the Manchester United defenders involved in the play.
Refereeing Authorities Admitted the Mistake
Pro Ref, the body responsible for professional refereeing in England, subsequently acknowledged that the incident was not handled correctly.
Officials determined that Fernández had not touched the ball, but VAR failed to properly consider whether his position and movement had impacted Manchester United’s defenders. Because that required a subjective judgment, the referee should have been sent to the monitor for an on-field review.
The refereeing body later contacted United to acknowledge what it described as an error in judgment. The decision to leave Donohue and Antrobus off the upcoming appointments now represents the first direct consequence of the mistake.
VAR Under Pressure Again in the Premier League
The disciplinary response will not change the result. Manchester City keep the three points from their victory at Old Trafford, but the episode has once again put the use of VAR in the Premier League under intense scrutiny.
The decision had already drawn criticism from former players including Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney, who argued that Fernández’s involvement should have resulted in the goal being disallowed.
Now the officials responsible for the review are also facing consequences. Donohue and Antrobus will have to wait before returning to Premier League duty, while English refereeing authorities deal with the fallout from a decision that ultimately settled one of the biggest matches of the season.
Key Takeaways
- Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus have been left off the appointments for the next Premier League matchweek.
- Refereeing authorities admitted that VAR failed to properly assess Enzo Fernández’s impact on Haaland’s goal.
- Manchester City won the derby 1-0, meaning the controversial decision had a direct impact on the final result.
