Pro Ref admits Haaland's derby winner should not have stood
Pro Ref has acknowledged that Erling Haaland's winning goal in Sunday's Manchester derby should have been ruled out. The VAR judged that Enzo Fernández was not interfering with play, a call the officiating body now describes as an error of judgement. Michael Carrick called the decision obvious and hard to understand.
ByMatt
6 min read
The officiating body Pro Ref has admitted that Erling Haaland's winning goal in Sunday's Manchester derby should not have been awarded. The VAR ruled that Enzo Fernández was not interfering with play in the buildup, a decision the organisation now describes as an error of judgement. Pro Ref has already contacted Manchester United and will review the incident.
- Haaland scored the decisive goal in the 60th minute at Old Trafford.
- The VAR ruled that Enzo Fernández was not interfering despite his offside position.
- Pro Ref has admitted an error of judgement and will review the decision.
- Michael Carrick described the call as hard to understand and obviously wrong.
How Haaland scored the controversial winner at Old Trafford
The move began with a cross from Josko Gvardiol that hit Patrick Dorgu's boot. The ball then passed Enzo Fernández and United defender Lisandro Martínez before Haaland, City's Norwegian striker, finished it off. The on-field decision was initially offside against the forward, but the VAR intervened to correct his position on the pitch.
The debate did not centre on Haaland's position, but on Fernández's influence during the sequence. Despite appearing to be in an offside position, the VAR decided that the Argentine midfielder was not involved enough in the play to rule out the goal.
Pro Ref's statement and the VAR's error of judgement
On this occasion, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position and should have recommended an on-field review.
Pro Ref explained that the original call had ruled Haaland offside, but the VAR confirmed the striker was in a legal position. However, the body accepted that Fernández did not play the ball, which made any potential offside offence a subjective interpretation.
The officiating organisation now admits the VAR failed to assess the positional impact of the Argentine and that the mistake warranted a review on the pitch-side monitor. Pro Ref has informed Manchester United of what it considers a clear misjudgement.
Carrick's angry response to the winning goal decision
The Manchester United manager did not hide his frustration over the goal. Carrick said the explanation he received, based on Fernández not interfering, is hard to accept when a player throws himself at the ball just yards from goal and forces Lisandro Martínez to react.
Asked whether an apology from Pro Ref would be welcome, the coach replied with sarcasm and made clear that, in his view, the rule on interfering with play is as obvious as it gets. Carrick insisted that everyone understands what that law means and that the incident leaves little room for interpretation.
Foden's red card and the clash with Bruno Fernandes
The 199th Manchester derby produced another controversial call. Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute after kicking Bruno Fernandes in the stomach. The action came only after the United captain had kicked him first.
City manager Enzo Maresca backed the red card shown to Foden, but suggested Fernandes should also have been dismissed. For the City coach, Foden's reaction was clear, yet the initial foul by the Portuguese midfielder deserved the same punishment.
How the Premier League table looks after the derby
With this win, Manchester City move to 12 points and sit second in the table, behind Arsenal only on goal difference. Manchester United, meanwhile, have just four points and are down in 13th place, a start far below their expectations.
Carrick insisted his side will eventually turn things around. He admitted the team has not collected the points it expected, but defended the progress made and kept his confidence in what they can achieve over the course of the season.
United fans protest against the club's crackdown on ticket touts
Before kick-off, a section of Manchester United supporters protested against the club's campaign targeting ticket touts. On Friday, the club announced that 685 accounts had been banned and a further 464 fans had received reduced sanctions or final warnings.
Inside the stadium, The Red Army hung a banner over the tunnel expressing their discontent with how they are being treated. The usual banners were also removed from the Stretford End.
Carrick admitted he does not know every detail behind the measure, but stressed the fundamental role of the supporters. The manager said that if any section of the fanbase feels unhappy, the club must work to put that right, both on and off the pitch.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Pro Ref admit Haaland's goal should not have stood?
Pro Ref believes the VAR made an error of judgement by not considering the impact of Enzo Fernández's position during the move. Although the Argentine did not touch the ball, his presence forced Lisandro Martínez to react and the incident should have led to an on-field review.
What was Michael Carrick's explanation for his anger over the goal?
Carrick was told that Fernández was not interfering with play, an explanation he found impossible to accept. He argued that a player lunging for the ball near the goal and forcing a defender to react is clearly interfering with play.
Why was Phil Foden sent off in the Manchester derby?
Foden received a red card in the 23rd minute for kicking Bruno Fernandes in the stomach. The action followed an earlier kick by the United captain on the City player, sparking debate over whether Fernandes should also have been sent off.