The Premier League's refereeing body, Pro Ref, has contacted Manchester United to admit an "error of judgement" concerning Erling Haaland's decisive goal in the Manchester Derby. The controversial strike, which secured a 1-0 victory for Manchester City, should potentially have been disallowed for offside.
Manchester United experienced a frustrating 1-0 loss to their rivals, with Haaland finding the net in the second half despite City playing much of the match with ten men. The Red Devils felt they were not only outplayed but also unlucky due to the officiating of the crucial goal.
In a statement, Pro Ref clarified the incident from the 60th minute at Old Trafford. "The on-field decision was offside against Erling Haaland – that was checked by VAR and he was found to be in an onside position," the statement read. "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."
The refereeing body confirmed, "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."
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag expressed his clear dissatisfaction after the game, appearing incredulous that the VAR check concluded Haaland was onside. This outcome represents a significant setback for United, who have now secured only one win in their initial four Premier League fixtures this season.
Meanwhile, Manchester City has maintained a perfect record, achieving four wins from four games and sitting second in the league table, trailing only Arsenal on goal difference.
