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 reached out to 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 goal. According to Sky Sports News, United have accepted the apology but do not intend to pursue any further action against the refereeing organisation, despite lingering frustration.
The club praised the efforts of former Premier League referee Howard Webb and the Pro Ref team for acknowledging the mistake and explaining how it occurred. The controversy centres on the moment when Haaland struck the winning goal. Initially the on‑field referee flagged the ball out for off‑side, but after a VAR check the decision was reversed and the goal stood. The VAR officials concluded that Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu had played Haaland on‑side.
However, they also noted that City midfielder Enzo Fernández was positioned off‑side when he attempted to play the ball before it reached Haaland. 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 rendered the goal invalid.
A Pro Ref spokesperson elaborated on the incident: "The on‑field decision was off‑side against Erling Haaland – that was checked by VAR and he was found to be on‑side. In the same attack it was established that Enzo Fernández did not play the ball and therefore any off‑side offence is 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 judgment.
A review of the incident will take place." Pro Ref, which oversees officiating across the Premier League, the Championship, League One, League Two, the National League, the Women's Super League and the U21 Premier League 2, is led by Howard Webb. The body rebranded from PGMO to Professional Game Referees during the summer, aiming to increase transparency and accountability.
The Premier League Match Centre posted a summary on X (formerly Twitter) stating: "VAR checked the referee's call of no goal for off‑side and determined that Haaland was on‑side, recommending the goal be awarded. VAR also deemed that while Fernández was in an off‑side position, he did not play the ball." This explanation focused heavily on the fact that Fernández did not touch the ball, a point that many pundits argued missed the broader interpretation of the off‑side rule, which also penalises players who obstruct an opponent's line of sight or movement, even without touching the ball.
Former United defender Gary Neville, speaking on Sky Sports' co‑commentary, argued that the VAR officials were "wrong" to allow the goal. He later reiterated on his podcast that the decision ignored the rule, suggesting that the Match Centre statement was a "bigger hole" that would need to be retracted.
Neville predicted an apology from Pro Ref, a prediction that was eventually borne out when the body issued its statement. United defender Lisandro Martínez echoed the sentiment in his post‑match interview, stating that the goal should not have counted. He lamented the frequency of such high‑profile errors, noting that officials often spend time educating clubs on the rules, only to make mistakes that could affect the outcome of crucial fixtures. "Five or six people making this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable," Martínez said, adding that the club had to live with the sense of injustice.
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 inevitably influenced Martínez. Richards described the day as "a bad day for referees and VAR," pointing out previous controversial decisions, such as the Phil Foden incident, as evidence of systemic issues. Legendary former United manager Roy Keane weighed in, emphasizing that Fernández was interfering with play and that United were being penalised for a well‑executed defensive line. "When you are in that position you are impacting the game," Keane said.
"United are being punished for good defending." Jamie Carragher, another former defender, called the decision "a bad one" and suggested that officials have become overly fixated on Haaland's on‑side status while neglecting the impact of other players. He compared the error to a previous VAR controversy involving Liverpool's Luis Diaz, where a goal was incorrectly ruled out for off‑side against Tottenham.
Carragher argued that the Manchester derby mistake was more severe because it occurred in a high‑stakes match with only one goal deciding the result. The incident has reignited debate over VAR's role and its interpretation of the off‑side law. Critics argue that the technology, while intended to increase fairness, sometimes adds layers of complexity that can lead to inconsistent applications of the rules. The off‑side rule states that a player is penalised if, at the moment the ball is played, they are nearer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second‑last defender, and they become involved in active play by interfering with an opponent, gaining an advantage, or playing the ball.
In this case, Fernández's movement arguably interfered with Martínez's ability to defend, satisfying the interference criterion even without ball contact. The apology from Pro Ref may set a precedent for how officiating bodies handle high‑profile errors in the future. While United have chosen not to pursue formal sanctions, the episode underscores the need for clearer guidelines and perhaps a more transparent review process when contentious decisions arise. As the Premier League continues to refine its VAR protocols, stakeholders—from clubs and players to fans and broadcasters—will be watching closely to see whether lessons are learned and applied to avoid repeat incidents in upcoming fixtures.