The governing body for English football officials, Professional Game Referees (formerly known as PGMO), has publicly acknowledged a mistake in the decision that awarded Manchester City a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. In a statement issued only a few hours after the match, Pro Ref confirmed that it had contacted United to admit an "error of judgment" and conceded that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) should have recommended an on‑field review of Erling Haaland's decisive strike. According to Sky Sports News, United have accepted the apology but do not intend to pursue any further action against the refereeing organization, despite lingering frustration.
The club expressed appreciation for the efforts of former Premier League referee Howard Webb and the Pro Ref team in acknowledging and explaining the mishap. The controversy centers on a goal that was initially ruled out for off‑side by the on‑field officials.
After a VAR check, the decision was reversed and the goal stood. The VAR panel determined that Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu had played Haaland on‑side.
However, City midfielder Enzo Fernández was positioned off‑side when he attempted to play the ball before it reached the Norwegian striker. Although Fernández never made contact with the ball, his movement appeared to interfere with United defender Lisandro Martínez, an action that, under the Laws of the Game, should have resulted in the goal being disallowed.
A Pro Ref spokesperson elaborated on the incident, saying: "The on‑field decision was off‑side against Erling Haaland – that was checked by VAR and he was found to be in an on‑side position. In the same attack, it was established that Enzo Fernández did not play the ball and therefore that makes any off‑side 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." Pro Ref, which oversees refereeing across the four top men’s divisions, the National League, the Women’s Super League and the U21 Premier League 2, is led by Howard Webb. The organization rebranded from Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) to its current name during the summer. The Premier League Match Centre posted on X that VAR had reviewed the referee's original call of "no goal for off‑side" and concluded Haaland was on‑side, recommending the goal be awarded.
The statement also noted that while Fernández was in an off‑side position, he did not play the ball. This nuance was highlighted in the VAR replay, which seemed focused on determining whether the midfielder actually touched the ball.
The off‑side rule, however, makes it clear that a player can be penalised for off‑side even without touching the ball if they interfere with an opponent. Former United defender Gary Neville, commenting live for Sky Sports, argued that the VAR officials were "wrong" to allow the goal.
Neville later predicted an apology from Pro Ref, stating: "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." Neville continued on his podcast, accusing the referees of ignoring the rule and digging themselves a deeper hole with the Match Centre's explanation. He expressed surprise at the official statement and called for a retraction.
Lisandro Martínez, United's centre‑back, echoed the sentiment in his post‑match interview, saying the goal should not have stood. He criticized the officials for repeatedly visiting the club to explain the rules, only to make such a high‑profile error in a crucial Premier League fixture. "Five or six people making this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable. We have to go home with this injustice," he said.
Former City defender Micah Richards dismissed the Match Centre's rationale as "nonsense," insisting that Fernández was clearly attempting to play the ball and that his movement impacted Martínez. Richards lamented what he called a "bad day for referees and VAR," referencing earlier controversial decisions, such as the Phil Foden call, that also drew criticism.
Roy Keane added his voice to the chorus of disapproval, arguing that Fernández was interfering with play and that United were unfairly punished for maintaining a solid defensive line. "Their line is good. Fernández is off‑side, and he goes to play the ball, so United are getting punished for good defending," Keane said. Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender, also labelled the decision a "bad one," noting that the goal looked off‑side at first glance.
He suggested that officials have become overly fixated on Haaland’s on‑side status while neglecting the impact of Fernández’s positioning. Carragher compared the incident to a previous VAR error involving Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, concluding that the Manchester United‑Manchester City case was a bigger blunder because it occurred in a globally watched, title‑relevant match. The episode has reignited debate over VAR’s consistency and the interpretation of off‑side interference.
Critics argue that the technology, while intended to bring precision, sometimes adds layers of subjectivity that can alter outcomes in high‑stakes games. Pro Ref has promised a review of the incident, but whether this will lead to any procedural changes remains to be seen. In the meantime, Manchester United will move forward without further recourse, focusing on their upcoming fixtures, while the refereeing community grapples with the fallout from one of the season’s most contentious decisions.