15/09/2026

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Sorry no cure VAR admits

‘error of judgement’ to allow Haaland’s Manchester derby winner, confirms Pro Ref

Ű BY WILL CASTLE AND JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their first goal following a VAR review yesterday during the English Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. – REUTERSPIC

M ANCHESTER CITY’S contro versial derby winner against Manchester United yesterday should not have stood, refe reeing body Pro Ref has confirmed. Erling Haaland’s goal on the hour mark earned the 10-man visitors a 1-0 vic tory at Old Trafford after Phil Foden was sent off early in the first half of the Premier League clash. Haaland was initially ruled to be off side when he tucked in Josko Gvardiol’s deflected cross from the left wing to put City ahead, before VAR intervened after a lengthy check to allow the goal to stand, deeming Haaland in line with Patrick Dorgu’s foot. The angle of the initial TV replays appeared to show that Haaland was in an offside position at the back post, but the Premier League’s semi-automated offside technology proved that Haaland was in fact behind Dorgu. Enzo Fernandez, however, was in an offside position and appeared to interfere with play by making a lunge to latch onto the ball. The Premier League Match Centre said the fact Fernandez did not get a touch on the ball meant the goal was allowed to stand, something which chal lenging defender Lisandro Martinez branded as an “injustice”. Mere hours after the conclusion of the game, though, Pro Ref has admitted an “error of judgement” in awarding the goal. A Pro Ref spokesperson said: “Following the incident in the 60th min ute of the Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford, we can provide clarification regarding Erling Haaland’s awarded goal. “The on-field decision was offside against Erling Haaland – that was checked by VAR and he was found to be in an onside position.

“In the same attack, it was established that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball and therefore that makes any offside offence subjective, however, on this occa sion, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position and should have recommended an on-field review. “Contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgement. A review of the incident will take place.” The rules of the game state that a player standing in an offside position will be penalised if they are: 0 Preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision; or 0 Challenging an opponent for the ball; or 0 Clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent; or 0 Making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an oppo nent to play the ball. There was a strong argument that Fernandez put off Martinez, who was between Fernandez and Haaland at the back post. If Fernandez was not in the box, Martinez would have been expected to mark Haaland and clear the cross, or goalkeeper Senne Lammens could have come to collect it. This is something that Martinez com plained about after the match, telling Sky Sports : “He was offside. I went to (Fernandez) because he was there in front of me, and that’s why Haaland was free (to score). “I want to be calm, I want to control myself but it’s so hard. Every season they come to our club, they explain the rules for an hour and a half, and they

look so confident. “And then you have five or six people making this mistake. It’s unacceptable because this is the best League in the world. And now we have to go home with this injustice.” Manager Michael Carrick was simi larly left fuming at what he described as a “staggering” decision to give the goal. He said: “I’m confused. We put things in place in the game now. We have people in offices with all the screens for this deci sion. It’s more worrying about if that’s the interpretation of football now. “If that’s the interpretation of not inter fering in the game now, that’s really wor rying for me. It’s a staggering explanation. “The decision isn’t going to change the season, but it’s had a major impact on the game. That decision wasn’t on us today. It’s up to us to create and score after that. “We had moments. Of course it’s up to us to do that, but big moments in games like that have a big impact.” City were down to 10 men in the Manchester derby following Foden’s first half red card for kicking out at United cap tain Fernandes. Haaland’s ninth League goal against United means the striker is now top scorer in the Manchester derbies in the Premier League. “This hasn’t really happened a lot in my lifetime that we go down to 10 men, so it’s a kind of new experience to win with 10 men. It’s amazing. I have to be honest,” Haaland told Sky Sports . “We had to lay low, which is not ideal. We like to keep the ball, we like to try to score goals, but these times, you have to go a bit lower and take your chances when it’s possible. We managed to do that well. “This shows personality, character to keep the ball away at Old Trafford, with 10 men. That is personality.” – The Independent

Lost in the moment

- Story on page 28

Foden red card sparks fury

- Story on page 30

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