Pro Ref admits VAR error in Haaland's Manchester derby goal

The officiating body Pro Ref has officially confirmed that VAR made a mistake during the build-up to Erling Haaland's goal in the recent Manchester derby. The match at Old Trafford ended in a 1-0 victory for Manchester City, with the Norwegian striker scoring the only goal of the game in the 60th minute.

While the on-field referee initially disallowed the goal for offside, the VAR check subsequently overturned the decision, allowing the goal to stand. However, Pro Ref noted that Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position during the same attack and attempted to play the ball. Although the Argentine did not touch the ball, the organization stated that his influence on the play was significant enough that the referee should have been advised to review the incident at the pitch-side monitor.

Pro Ref has already contacted Manchester United to inform the club of the error and will conduct a separate review of the incident. Previously, Lisandro Martinez criticized the officiating as unfair, and Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick also voiced his frustration with the performance of both the referees and the VAR team.