Manchester City wrongly awarded Haaland goal by VAR at United: Refs’ body
The Professional Game Match Officials (Pro Ref) body has admitted that Erling Haaland's winning goal for Manchester City against Manchester United was an error. Officials acknowledged that Enzo Fernandez's offside position impacted the play, meaning the goal should have been disallowed.
Why it matters
This highlights ongoing controversies surrounding VAR implementation in the Premier League and the impact of officiating errors on high-stakes sporting outcomes.
Erling Haaland's goal for Man City should not have been overturned by VAR in derby at United, admits referee body.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after his side's controversial 1-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 13, 2026 [Jason Cairnduff/Action Images via Reuters] (Reuters) By AFP Published On 13 Sep 2026 13 Sep 2026 Professional Game Referees (Pro Ref) admitted on Sunday that the decision to allow Erling Haaland’s winner in Manchester City’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United was an “error of judgment”.
With City down to 10 men after Phil Foden’s dismissal for kicking Bruno Fernandes, Haaland netted on the hour mark with a close-range finish from Josko Gvardiol’s cross.
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