The governing body for referees in English football, Professional Game Referees (formerly known as PGMO), has formally acknowledged a mistake in the decision that awarded Manchester City a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. In a statement issued just a few hours after the match, Pro Ref confirmed that it had contacted Manchester 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 been offered an apology for the incorrect VAR ruling.
While the club remains deeply frustrated by the incident, it has indicated that it will not pursue further action against the refereeing body. United’s hierarchy expressed appreciation for the efforts of former Premier League referee Howard Webb and the Pro Ref team in acknowledging the error and providing an explanation.
The controversy centres on Haaland’s goal, which was initially flagged for off‑side by the on‑field officials but later allowed after a VAR review. The VAR officials determined that Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu had played the ball to Haaland, putting the Norwegian striker in an on‑side position. However, they also noted that Manchester City midfielder Enzo Fernández was in an off‑side position when he attempted to play the ball before it reached Haaland.
Although Fernández did not actually make contact with the ball, his movement was judged to have interfered with United defender Lisandro Martínez’s ability to defend the back‑post finish. Under the Laws of the Game, such interference should have resulted in the goal being disallowed. A Pro Ref spokesperson explained the sequence of events: "The on‑field decision initially ruled Haaland off‑side. VAR checked the call and found Haaland on‑side.
In the same attacking phase, it was established that Enzo Fernández did not play the ball, making any off‑side offence subjective. However, VAR failed to 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 judgment. 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 ex‑Premier League referee Howard Webb. The body rebranded from PGMO to Professional Game Referees over the summer. The Premier League Match Centre posted on X that the VAR "checked the referee's call of no goal for off‑side – and determined that Haaland was in an on‑side position and recommended that the goal was awarded.
The VAR also deemed that while in an off‑side position, Fernández didn't play the ball." This emphasis on Fernández’s lack of contact was echoed in the replay footage shown during the VAR review, where officials appeared to focus on whether the midfielder had actually touched the ball. Nevertheless, the off‑side rule states 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, speaking on Sky Sports commentary, argued that the VAR officials were "wrong" to allow Haaland’s goal. Neville predicted that Pro Ref would issue an apology, saying, "We will see an apology from Pro Ref. 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 later elaborated on his podcast, accusing the referees of ignoring the rule and suggesting that the Match Centre statement only deepened the controversy. "They are digging themselves a bigger hole," he said, urging the governing body to retract its explanation. Lisandro Martínez, the United defender directly affected by the decision, voiced his frustration in the post‑match interview.
He told Sky Sports, "Every season the officials come to our club and spend an hour explaining the rules and they look so confident with that. Then after, five or six people [officials] doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable.
We have to go home with this injustice." Former City defender Micah Richards dismissed the Match Centre’s rationale as "nonsense," insisting that Fernández was clearly attempting to play the ball. "One hundred per cent he is," Richards said.
"I think it's been a bad day for referees and VAR. They got the Phil Foden decision wrong, and they got this decision wrong.
How can you not say Enzo Fernández is challenging for the ball? Of course he is!" He added that even a slight movement by a defender can affect the outcome, underscoring the impact of Fernández’s positioning. Roy Keane echoed similar sentiments, arguing that United were penalised for maintaining a solid defensive line. "Fernández is interfering with play.
Basically, United have been punished for holding a good line. When you are in that position, you are impacting the game," Keane said. "Their line is good.
Fernández is off‑side, and he goes to play the ball, so United are getting punished for good defending." Jamie Carragher also labelled the decision a "bad one," noting that the goal appeared off‑side at first glance. He suggested that officials had become overly fixated on Haaland’s on‑side status while neglecting Fernández’s influence. "It seems to me they've become obsessed with Haaland being on‑side.
They haven't gone into as much detail with Fernández in the middle and understanding of his impact on it," Carragher observed. The incident drew parallels with a previous VAR controversy involving Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, whose goal against Tottenham was incorrectly ruled out for off‑side. Carragher argued that the Manchester derby error was even more egregious because it decided a high‑profile match with only one goal scored. He concluded, "What happened yesterday was a huge error and it was a huge game.
One of the biggest games not just in our league, but around the world. There was only one goal in the game which makes it feel worse." In summary, Pro Ref has admitted that its VAR protocol failed to account for the interference caused by Enzo Fernández, leading to an erroneous goal decision. While Manchester United has accepted the apology, the episode has sparked a broader debate about VAR consistency, the interpretation of off‑side rules, and the need for clearer guidance to prevent similar controversies in future high‑stakes fixtures.