Carrick Keeps Faith in VAR After Manchester Derby Blunder

Michael Carrick still believes in VAR even after the glaring mistake that condemned Manchester United to defeat in the Manchester derby. The failure to punish a clear offside by Enzo Fernández in the build-up to Erling Haaland's winner brought a formal apology from the refereeing body within three hours, but the United boss does not think that gesture repairs the sporting damage.

• VAR missed Enzo Fernández's offside position in the sequence that produced Manchester City's winning goal at Old Trafford.
• Refereeing body Pro Ref issued a formal apology to United three hours after the final whistle.
• VAR officials Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus have been left without match assignments this weekend.
• Carrick has backed Leny Yoro following the Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton.

What Went Wrong With VAR in the Manchester Derby

Manchester City took all three points from Old Trafford with a goal that should never have stood. Enzo Fernández was clearly offside and interfering with play, but neither video referee Matt Donohue nor his assistant Blake Antrobus spotted the infringement. The immediate fall-out saw both officials left out of the following weekend's match appointments.

Carrick was furious after the game and described the interpretation of the rules as "worrying". Days later, ahead of the trip to Fulham, he softened his tone but not his core message: the mistake was serious and had a direct impact on the result.

Carrick Still Trusts VAR Despite Refereeing Apology

Asked directly whether he still has faith in the video review system, the United manager answered without hesitation: "At the time it was a pretty big one, we know that. I don't think I need to go over that. But yes, I've got faith in it. It's the system we work towards and that we use."

The apology doesn't mean an awful lot. I can appreciate and respect them putting their hands up and saying we got that wrong; it does happen. We just have to deal with it.

Carrick's message cuts both ways. He accepts the mea culpa from the refereeing community, led by Howard Webb, but stresses that words do not bring back lost points. "Maybe we get one or two decisions on the law of averages or whatever, but that one had a huge impact on the game and that's why it was particularly tough," he added.

Howard Webb Admits Mistake and Speaks to Manchester United

Referees' chief Howard Webb reviewed the incident on 'Match Officials Mic'd Up' and said he was "really disappointed" with the outcome. According to his explanation, the officiating team focused too heavily on a potential offside by Haaland and completely neglected Fernández's position, which shaped the entire sequence.

Webb has spoken to United about the situation in an effort to be more accountable and transparent. Even so, Carrick insists that accountability does not make up for the competitive damage of losing a derby match.

Carrick's Public Backing of Leny Yoro After Brighton Criticism

Leny Yoro, the 20-year-old French centre-back, joined United from Lille in July 2024 for around £52.2m, with Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool also interested in his signature. His start in England has mixed bright moments with uneven displays, and the latest against Brighton in the Carabao Cup reopened the debate about his form.

The visitors came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Old Trafford, something no side had achieved in more than fifty years. Yoro's positioning was questioned during several passages of the game, but Carrick has no doubts about the young defender's future: "I've got no worries for Leny. He's got a fantastic future ahead of him."

The manager expanded on his reasoning with a reflection on development timelines in elite football. "There's no cut-off point. Some players find when they're 18 that they are at a level where they can really perform. Sometimes it's 22, 23, 24 when you see players start developing," he explained.

He closed with a warning about managing expectations: "What we've got to be careful of, and I certainly won't do, is making knee-jerk decisions on certain players just because of one game or one half or one moment in a game. We've got a lot of belief in Leny."

What Is at Stake for Manchester United at Fulham

United head to Fulham needing to regain momentum after two painful defeats, the derby loss and the cup exit against Brighton. The margin for error in the Premier League is narrowing by the week, and every slip pushes the team further away from the upper reaches of the table.

Carrick, under scrutiny for his squad management and the form of key players like Yoro, is chasing an immediate response to restore confidence in the dressing room and among a fanbase that has endured a particularly bitter week at Old Trafford.