Erling Haaland’s match‑winning strike in the Manchester derby on Sunday sparked a heated debate because of the way it was allowed to stand. The goal was first ruled out for off‑side on the field, only to be reinstated after a VAR review. The video‑assistant referee team concluded that Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu had played Haaland onside, but they also noted that City midfielder Enzo Fernandez was positioned off‑side when he tried to touch the ball before it reached the Norwegian forward. The controversy revolves around several unanswered questions.
The Professional Game Referees (formerly known as PGMOL) issued a statement on Sunday night admitting that an "error of judgement" had been made when the goal was awarded. Their explanation, however, only addressed part of the problem.
They acknowledged that the goal should have been disallowed because Fernandez was off‑side, but they added that the VAR "did not recognise the likely impact of his position." What remains unclear is why the VAR did not appreciate that a player standing six yards from the goal line, attempting a diving header on a ball that was already between two opponents, could not have materially influenced the play. In a mid‑match post on X, the Match Centre account summarised the decision: "The VAR also deemed that while in an off‑side position, Fernandez didn't play the ball." Sky Sports’ coverage showed replays of the VAR team analysing whether Fernandez actually made contact with the ball as it crossed the six‑yard box. This raises the possibility that the officials became fixated on a technical nuance – whether the off‑side player touched the ball – rather than the broader principle that the off‑side rule applies regardless of contact. The rule states that a player can be penalised for off‑side even if he does not touch the ball, provided he interferes with an opponent or gains an advantage from his position.
According to Pro Ref, the initial on‑field decision was that Haaland was off‑side, a call that was later overturned because the defender Dorgu had played him on‑side. The review then shifted focus to Fernandez, correctly identifying him as being in an off‑side position. The mistake appears to have been an undue emphasis on whether Fernandez touched the ball, rather than on the fact that his off‑side position alone should have nullified the goal.
The VAR team failed to confirm that the goal ought to be ruled out for the correct reason – Fernandez’s off‑side – and instead lingered on the irrelevant question of ball contact. Pro Ref suggested that the VAR should have asked referee Michael Oliver to conduct an on‑field review, allowing Oliver to make a subjective judgement about whether Fernandez had impacted play. In practice, such a review would have considered the goalkeeper's reaction. Replays show United goalkeeper Andre Martinez initially reacting to Fernandez, raising his arms in anticipation of a header and consequently losing his balance just as Haaland struck the ball.
Even if Martinez was distracted by Fernandez’s movement, the off‑side infringement had already occurred, meaning the goal should have been disallowed irrespective of the goalkeeper’s response. The situation can be summarised as a "yes and no" scenario: yes, because the original off‑side call was made against an on‑side player (Haaland); no, because the goal should have been ruled out due to Fernandez’s off‑side position. In procedural terms, the on‑field decision targeted the wrong player, so the correct course of action would have been to request an on‑field review of the off‑side offence involving Fernandez. One of the players, presumably Fernandez, expressed frustration: "I think [Fernandez] was offside.
What I can’t understand is the rules. He was there!
I went to him because he was in front of me. That’s why Haaland was free at the back.
I want to be calm but it is so hard. Five or six people (officials) doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable. We have to go home with this injustice." The VAR official overseeing the incident was Matt Donohue.
Although Donohue has only refereed four Premier League matches as the main referee, he has extensive VAR experience, having acted as the video‑assistant for 24 matches and as an assistant VAR for six games in the 2025/26 season. This season the Premier League is trialling semi‑automated off‑side technology, which provides a precise kick‑point graphic for each review. This system replaces the older method where VAR officials manually placed crosshairs and drew lines to determine the off‑side line.
While the new technology promises greater accuracy, the Haaland incident shows that human interpretation remains a critical factor, especially when deciding whether an off‑side player has interfered with play. Another lingering question from the derby concerns the amount of stoppage time added after the VAR review. Haaland’s goal was scored at 59 minutes and 24 seconds.
After the lengthy check, play resumed at 63 minutes and 15 seconds, yet only five minutes of added time were announced at the end of the half. Critics argue that the delay caused by the VAR review should have been reflected in the stoppage time, but the officials did not adjust the total accordingly.
In summary, the Haaland goal controversy highlights several systemic issues: an initial off‑side call against the wrong player, an over‑emphasis on whether the off‑side player touched the ball, a failure to request an on‑field review when required, and inconsistencies in how added time is calculated after VAR interventions. The incident underscores the need for clearer protocols and better training for VAR teams to ensure that decisions are both technically correct and applied consistently across matches.