The governing body for referees in English football, 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 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 have decided not to pursue any further action against Pro Ref, despite remaining deeply frustrated by the incident.
The club appreciated the efforts of former Premier League referee Howard Webb and the Pro Ref team to explain the error and to apologise for the impact it had on the result. The controversy centres on the moment when Haaland struck the winning goal.
Initially, the on‑field referee disallowed the effort for off‑side, but after a VAR check the decision was reversed and the goal stood. The VAR officials argued that the City striker was on‑side because Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu had played him on. However, they also noted that City midfielder Enzo Fernández was in an off‑side position 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, which, under the Laws of the Game, should have been sufficient to keep the goal disallowed.
In a detailed press release, a Pro Ref spokesperson said: "Following the incident in the 60th minute of Sunday's Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford, we can provide clarification regarding Erling Haaland's awarded goal. The on‑field decision was off‑side against 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 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 top four men’s divisions, the National League, the Women's Super League and the U21 Premier League 2, has since launched an internal review of the decision‑making process that led to the erroneous call. Howard Webb, who now heads the organisation, has pledged greater transparency and additional training for VAR officials to ensure that similar oversights are avoided in future high‑stakes matches. The Premier League Match Centre posted an explanation on X (formerly Twitter) stating that the VAR had checked the referee's original off‑side call and determined Haaland to be on‑side, consequently recommending that the goal be awarded.
The statement also emphasised that while Fernández was in an off‑side position, he did not play the ball. This nuance, however, sparked a heated debate among pundits and former players who argued that the off‑side rule does not require a player to touch the ball to be penalised; merely obstructing an opponent's ability to play the ball can constitute an off‑side infringement. Former United defender Gary Neville, providing co‑commentary for Sky Sports at the time, was unequivocal in his criticism, calling the VAR decision "wrong" and predicting that Pro Ref would be forced to apologise.
Neville later reiterated his view on his podcast, accusing the refereeing body of ignoring the letter of the law and "digging themselves a bigger hole" with the Match Centre's statement. He urged Pro Ref to retract their explanation and to acknowledge the mistake publicly. Lisandro Martínez, who was directly involved in the play, also voiced his disappointment in a post‑match interview.
He said, "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 justification, describing it as "nonsense". Richards argued that Fernández was clearly attempting to play the ball and that his movement inevitably affected Martínez's defensive actions.
"One hundred per cent he is," Richards told Sky Sports. "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!" Roy Keane, another former United player, added his perspective, stating that Fernández's interference should have been flagged. "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.
You're in the middle of the box, you're going for the ball. Their line is good.
Fernández is off‑side, and he goes to play the ball, so United are getting punished for good defending," Keane explained. Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender and regular pundit, also labelled the decision "a bad one". He observed that the officials seemed fixated on Haaland's on‑side status and neglected to fully assess Fernández's impact.
"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 said ahead of Monday Night Football. The incident has drawn comparisons to a similar VAR controversy earlier in the season when Liverpool's Luis Díaz had a goal ruled out for off‑side against Tottenham, only for the replay to show he was on‑side.
Carragher argued that while the Liverpool case involved a communication error, the Haaland decision was a "huge error" in one of the biggest matches of the year, magnifying its significance. "There was only one goal in the game which makes it feel worse," he added. "I'm still going for the Liverpool one being worse, but this one feels even more painful because of the stakes." In response to the growing outcry, Pro Ref has promised to refine its VAR protocols, including clearer guidelines on when to trigger an on‑field review for potential off‑side interference, even if the player in question does not touch the ball. The organization also plans to increase the transparency of its decision‑making by publishing more detailed explanations of controversial calls.
The broader conversation about VAR's role in modern football continues, with many calling for a balance between technological assistance and the human element of officiating. Critics argue that over‑reliance on VAR can disrupt the flow of the game and lead to contentious outcomes, while supporters maintain that the technology, when applied correctly, reduces clear errors.
The Haaland derby incident serves as a reminder that the implementation of VAR is still evolving, and that ongoing education for both officials and players is essential to preserve the integrity of the sport. As the season progresses, Manchester United will look to regroup and focus on upcoming fixtures, while Manchester City will celebrate a hard‑fought victory that, despite the controversy, adds three points to their campaign. Both clubs, their supporters, and the broader football community will be watching closely to see how Pro Ref's promised reforms materialise in future matches.
The episode also underscores the importance of clear communication between refereeing bodies and clubs. While United have accepted the apology, the lingering frustration highlights a need for more proactive dialogue to prevent similar disputes.
In the meantime, fans can expect continued debate on social media, pundit panels, and among former players, all dissecting the nuances of the off‑side rule and the appropriate use of VAR in the beautiful game.