OFFICIAL: Manchester Derby VAR Officials Stood Down After Haaland Goal Error

The controversial Erling Haaland goal that decided the Manchester derby has now led to action against the VAR officials involved, after England's refereeing body admitted a major error was made.

Manchester City defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford, with Haaland scoring the decisive goal after his effort was initially ruled out for offside before VAR intervened.

However, the decision has since been acknowledged as incorrect.

VAR official Matt Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus have been stood down from the next round of Premier League fixtures following a review of the incident.

🚨 Pro Ref Admits the Haaland Goal Should Not Have Stood

The controversy centred on two separate offside situations.

Haaland himself was initially flagged offside, but a VAR review using semi-automated offside technology established that the Manchester City striker was actually onside, with Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu playing him on.

That was not the problem.

The crucial issue was Enzo Fernández.

The City midfielder was in an offside position and attempted to play the ball during the build-up. Although Fernández did not ultimately make contact with it, Pro Ref acknowledged that his position and involvement should have been properly considered.

The refereeing body concluded that VAR made an “error of judgement” and should have recommended that referee Michael Oliver review the incident on the pitch.

❌ Why VAR Got the Decision Wrong

The original VAR assessment focused heavily on whether Haaland was onside.

Once the technology established that Haaland had been played onside by Dorgu, the goal was allowed to stand.

But Fernández's involvement created a separate question: whether his offside position affected the play.

That subjective element was not correctly addressed by VAR.

As a result, the wrong conclusion was reached and the goal remained on the scoreboard.

Pro Ref subsequently contacted Manchester United to acknowledge the mistake.

🏟️ Donohue and Antrobus Removed From Next Weekend's Fixtures

The consequences have now arrived.

Donohue and Antrobus were not selected for the next round of Premier League appointments following the decision by Pro Ref chief refereeing officer Howard Webb and his management team.

Their availability will be reconsidered after the international break.

That means the officials have effectively been removed from Premier League duty for the upcoming matchweek, although the action has been described as being stood down rather than a formal one-match ban.

The decision is significant because it represents a direct response to a refereeing error in one of the biggest matches on the Premier League calendar.

🔥 Haaland's Goal Changed the Derby

The controversy would not have been so significant if the goal had not decided the match.

Manchester City were reduced to 10 men after Phil Foden's first-half dismissal, leaving United with a numerical advantage.

Despite that, City remained dangerous and eventually found the breakthrough through Haaland.

The Norwegian's goal gave City all three points and maintained their perfect start to the Premier League campaign.

It also moved Haaland to nine Manchester derby goals, making him the leading scorer in the Premier League era of the fixture.

But instead of being remembered solely for another Haaland record, the goal has now become one of the most debated VAR decisions of the season.

😡 Manchester United Left Frustrated

For United, the timing of the error makes the situation even more painful.

Michael Carrick's side had the opportunity to take advantage of City's numerical disadvantage but ultimately lost after the controversial decision.

Carrick strongly criticised the interpretation of the offside law and questioned the VAR process after the match.

Pro Ref's admission has now confirmed that United's frustration was not simply about disagreement with a subjective decision.

The organisation itself accepted that the process had gone wrong.

🧑‍⚖️ What Happens Next?

The incident is likely to remain a major talking point when Howard Webb addresses refereeing controversies publicly.

The central question is no longer whether Haaland was onside.

He was.

The bigger issue is why Fernández's offside position and involvement were not properly considered before the goal was confirmed.

For VAR, the incident is another reminder that technology can establish certain facts with extraordinary precision, but officials still have to correctly interpret what those facts mean within the laws of the game.

In this case, the technology identified Haaland's position correctly — but the wider footballing context around Fernández was missed.

🏆 One Decision, Major Consequences

Manchester City keep the three points, Haaland keeps his record and United are left wondering what might have happened had the goal been ruled out.

For the officials involved, however, there is an immediate consequence.

Donohue and Antrobus will not take charge of Premier League matches during the next round after Pro Ref accepted that the decisive goal should not have been awarded.

The controversy has therefore moved beyond the pitch.

VAR made the wrong call. Pro Ref admitted it. And action has now been taken.

⚽ Fan Debate

⚽ Goal: Should Erling Haaland's goal have been ruled out?

🔥 Fire: Is standing down the VAR officials enough punishment for an error that decided a Manchester derby?

😲 Shock: Were you surprised that VAR failed to properly consider Enzo Fernández's involvement?

👍 Like: Do you still trust VAR to make the right decisions in major Premier League matches?

💬 Comment: Should Michael Oliver have been sent to the pitchside monitor before the goal was awarded?