VAR admission after derby winner raises questions for Premier League process
The refereeing body Pro Ref has acknowledged an "error of judgement" in the decision that allowed Erling Haaland's late winner for Manchester City at Old Trafford to stand — a development that has intensified scrutiny of the Video Assistant Referee system ahead of a busy domestic schedule that will feature many supporters from Derby and across the East Midlands.
Former Premier League referee and Pro Ref chief refereeing officer Howard Webb told viewers on the Premier League's Mic'd Up show that match officials had suffered from "tunnel vision". He said they became "super focused" on whether Haaland was onside and failed to consider whether City team-mate Enzo Fernandez, who was in an offside position, had interfered with play.
"We felt it was important that we acknowledged an error in the situation," Webb said. "I was really disappointed with this outcome, we all were, none more than the officials."
Pro Ref said VAR Matt Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus have been stood down from Premier League duties until after the upcoming international break. The referees' body has also confirmed it has played the relevant audio and footage to Manchester United and will carry out a review to understand which elements of the process failed.
For local football fans in Derby — many of whom follow both national and local refereeing standards — the incident is likely to fuel debate about consistency and transparency in how VAR is applied. The decision stood despite video footage indicating Fernandez made an attempt to touch the ball in the penalty area from an offside position, a factor Pro Ref now says was not sufficiently considered.
- What happened: Haaland's goal was awarded after he was judged to be just onside.
- Pro Ref judgement: Officials failed to consider that Fernandez, in an offside position, may have interfered with the Manchester United defence and goalkeeper.
- Immediate action: VAR officials Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus stood down for this weekend's fixtures pending review.
The episode underlines continuing tensions around VAR: even when a primary offside determination is clear, secondary questions — such as whether a different player in an offside position influenced play — can prove decisive. Webb said the officials "take personal pride in what they do" and are "hurting now" after the error.
Pro Ref has told clubs it will be transparent about the findings and has reached out to Manchester United to explain the sequence of events. The body said it would review the situation to identify which parts of the decision-making process "fell down" and to ensure lessons are learned.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Officials stood down | VAR Matt Donohue and assistant Blake Antrobus |
| Reason | Failure to assess interference by offside player Enzo Fernandez |
| Body | Pro Ref; statement & internal review announced |
Locally, supporters of Derby County and grassroots clubs are likely to watch the review with interest. Refereeing standards at all levels depend on consistent application of the laws of the game, and high-profile mistakes in the Premier League can erode confidence among volunteers, coaches and fans who already criticise refereeing decisions in non-professional matches.
How Pro Ref's review translates into practical change remains to be seen. Possible outcomes could include adjustments to VAR training, clearer checklists for officials to ensure secondary offside interference is considered, or procedural changes to the way audio and video are used to communicate decisions to clubs and the public.
Whatever the technical response, the incident has produced a rare and public admission from the refereeing authority. For supporters in Derby keen on clear and consistent decision-making on the pitch, the review and subsequent actions will be closely monitored.
