Former professional referee chief Howard Webb has openly condemned the VAR team for what he describes as a "tunnel vision" mistake that allowed a controversial goal to stand in the Manchester derby. The incident involved Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, whose winning goal was initially flagged off‑side on the pitch but later overturned after a VAR review. While the review correctly identified Haaland as being on‑side by a few centimetres, it failed to take into account the off‑side position and active interference of Manchester United midfielder Enzo Fernandez. Webb explained that the on‑field decision was not about Fernandez at all; it was centred on Haaland.
When the VAR officials began their check, they quickly confirmed that Haaland was on‑side. However, instead of extending their analysis to the entire attacking possession phase (APP) – a step that would have revealed Fernandez’s illegal involvement – they became fixated on Haaland’s position. Webb said this narrow focus caused the officials to miss the fact that Fernandez, although not touching the ball, had dived toward it from an off‑side spot and impeded both Lisandro Martinez and United goalkeeper Senne Lammens. In the language of the Laws of the Game, a player can be penalised for off‑side interference even without touching the ball, and that nuance was overlooked.
"The VAR gets super focused on Haaland. He establishes he is on‑side, but when he runs it through the full APP he doesn't truly evaluate the full impact of Fernandez," Webb told the Mic'd Up podcast. "In that moment he gets tunnel vision, and it is down to the rest of his team to pull him out of that tunnel, but unfortunately that did not happen on this occasion. This goal should have been disallowed." Webb’s disappointment is palpable.
He noted that the officials involved have taken personal pride in their work and are now facing the consequences of a high‑profile error. As a result, the VAR crew will be stood down until after the international break, giving them time to reflect and receive additional training.
Webb also confirmed that the Premier League’s match centre had posted a real‑time update stating that Fernandez "didn't play the ball," which he believes misrepresents the law. The off‑side rule explicitly covers players who obstruct an opponent’s line of sight, challenge a defender, or otherwise affect play, regardless of ball contact. To provide context, the sequence unfolded as follows: Haaland received a cross, and the on‑field referee initially signalled off‑side.
VAR then reviewed the footage, noting that Haaland was on‑side by roughly three centimetres. The review then shifted to the full attacking possession phase. At this stage, the assistant VAR confirmed that there was "no touch" from Fernandez, a statement that satisfied the protocol but ignored the fact that Fernandez’s body was in the way of Martinez and Lammens. The officials concluded that the goal should stand, and the match resumed with City taking the lead.
The fallout has been swift. Manchester United have been contacted by the Professional Referees’ Organization (PRO) and were shown the audio and video evidence.
Webb stressed that transparency is essential: "We have played the audio and footage to the club to let them know what happened. We will review the situation to understand what elements of the process fell down in this situation which meant we didn't get to the right outcome." Commentators have weighed in with strong opinions. Sky Sports’ Laura Hunter argued that merely admitting the mistake is insufficient and called for a full‑scale review of the VAR process, emphasizing that the error directly influenced the match result.
She highlighted that the Premier League’s own match centre seemed to have forgotten the broader definition of off‑side, focusing only on ball contact. Hunter questioned whether Michael Oliver, the referee, communicated with his linesmen to confirm who was actually off‑side – Haaland, Fernandez, or both.
Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports News offered a more sympathetic view, acknowledging the human element behind the mistake. He noted that the VAR and his assistant are likely experiencing sleepless nights replaying the incident, and that while fans – especially United supporters – may view the error as unforgivable, it remains a reminder that even advanced technology cannot eradicate basic officiating errors. The incident raises larger questions about the role of VAR in modern football. Critics argue that if forensic video technology cannot reliably apply a fundamental law such as off‑side, its overall value is questionable.
Proponents, however, point out that VAR has corrected numerous clear‑cut errors and that continuous refinement of protocols can reduce the likelihood of similar oversights. In summary, Howard Webb’s condemnation of the VAR team underscores a critical flaw in the current system: an over‑emphasis on a single player can blind officials to other, equally important infringements. The failure to recognise Enzo Fernandez’s off‑side interference not only contravened the Laws of the Game but also altered the outcome of a high‑stakes derby.
As the football community debates the future of VAR, this episode will likely serve as a case study for improving training, communication, and procedural checks to ensure that every element of an attacking phase is scrutinised before a goal is awarded.