Professional refereeing bodies have acknowledged an “error of judgement” in allowing Erling Haaland’s 60th-minute winning goal for Manchester City against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Premier League match concluded in a 1-0 victory for the visitors, but the decisive moment was marred by officiating controversy surrounding offside positioning during the attacking phase.
While Haaland was cleared of offside by the video assistant referee (VAR), questions quickly emerged regarding the positional influence of teammate Enzo Fernández during the build-up.
In an official clarification issued on Sunday evening, Professional Game Referees — Pro Ref, also known as PGMOL — confirmed that the VAR shouldn’t have intervened and recommended an on-field review by the referee.
“Following the incident in the 60th minute of Sunday’s Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford, we can provide clarification regarding Erling Haaland’s awarded goal,” the statement read.
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“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 occasion, 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 admission adds fuel to ongoing debates surrounding subjective VAR assessments and on-field review protocols in high-profile Premier League clashes.
A formal review of the incident and officiating procedures during the derby match will now take place.
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