Pro Ref Admits Haaland's Winning Goal Should Not Have Counted
The decisive moment in the Manchester derby has been officially branded a mistake.
Refereeing body Pro Ref confirmed it was wrong to allow Erling Haaland’s winning goal in Manchester City’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, admitting VAR should have sent the referee to the pitchside monitor.
The goal, which came on the hour, was initially ruled out for offside on the field. VAR then overturned that decision and awarded it, judging Haaland to have been played onside by United defender Patrick Dorgu.
That part was correct. The problem lay elsewhere.
The offside flashpoint
As the cross came in, City’s Enzo Fernandez stood in an offside position and moved to play the ball before it reached Haaland at the back post. He never made contact, but his movement appeared to affect Lisandro Martinez’s attempt to defend the situation.
Under the laws of the game, that matters. A player in an offside position can still commit an offside offence without touching the ball if he interferes with an opponent – by challenging for the ball, clearly attempting to play a nearby ball in a way that impacts an opponent, or making an obvious action that affects an opponent’s ability to play it.
On this occasion, Pro Ref now say, that interference should have been the key.
In a statement released just hours after the final whistle, Pro Ref said contact had been made with Manchester United to acknowledge what it called an “error of judgment” and confirmed that “the VAR should have recommended an on-field review” of the incident.
A spokesperson explained: “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.”
Match Centre stance under fire
The Premier League Match Centre had earlier tried to justify the decision in a post on X. It stated: “VAR checked the referee's call of no goal for offside – and determined that Haaland was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded. The VAR also deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn't play the ball.”
That emphasis on Fernandez not touching the ball mirrored the TV replays, which repeatedly focused on whether the midfielder had made contact.
But the offside law is blunt on this point. Touch is not required. Interference is.
The law lists several ways an offside player can interfere with an opponent: blocking a line of vision, challenging for the ball, clearly attempting to play a nearby ball in a way that impacts an opponent, or making an obvious action that clearly affects an opponent’s ability to play it.
On the evidence of the replays, that is where the officials’ interpretation has now unravelled.
Neville’s warning proves accurate
On co-commentary for Sky Sports at the time of the goal, Gary Neville was adamant the officials had erred.
He said the VAR team were “wrong” to award Haaland’s strike and predicted Pro Ref would later accept fault. The organisation has now effectively done so, though it stopped short of using the word “apology”.
Neville told Sky Sports: “We will see an apology from Pro Ref.
“There is no doubt that Enzo is attempting to play the ball and putting Lisandro Martinez off.
“It's a really strange one. They'll recognise they got that wrong.”
Speaking later on his podcast, he doubled down: “I think they are ignoring the rule.
“They are digging themselves a bigger hole [with the Match Centre statement]. I'm really surprised they put that out.
“They will have to retract that.”
Martinez: ‘Unacceptable’ mistake
Lisandro Martinez, the defender most directly affected by Fernandez’s movement, did not hold back after the game.
He told Sky Sports that the goal “should not have stood” and criticised the number of officials involved in the decision.
“Every season the officials come to our club and spend an hour explaining the rules and they look so confident with that,” Martinez said.
“Then after, five or six people [officials] doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable.
“We have to go home with this injustice.”
For United, the sense of grievance clearly runs deep. For defenders, the message is stark: hold a good line, get punished anyway.
Richards and Keane slam decision
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards was equally scathing about the Match Centre’s rationale, dismissing the focus on Fernandez not touching the ball as “a nonsense”.
Asked on Sky Sports if Fernandez was clearly attempting to play the ball, Richards was unequivocal: “One hundred per cent he is.
“I think it's been a bad day for referees and VAR.
“They got the Phil Foden decision wrong, and they got this decision wrong.
“How you can not say Enzo Fernandez is challenging for the ball – of course he is!
“I've been in that position as a defender where any slight movement can make the difference for going for the ball or not, so of course it affects him.
“I just think they've got it so wrong.”
Roy Keane’s verdict was typically blunt. For him, the incident was a straightforward offside.
“Fernandez is interfering with play. Basically, United have been punished for holding a good line. When you are in that position, you are impacting the game. You're in the middle of the box, you're going for the ball.
“Their line is good. Fernandez is offside, and he goes to play the ball, so United are getting punished for good defending.”
The goal stands in the record books. The three points stay with City. But with Pro Ref now conceding the officials misjudged one of the season’s headline calls, the pressure on VAR – and those who operate it – only intensifies for the battles still to come.
