The VAR who incorrectly awarded Erling Haaland's winner in last month's Manchester derby has been reinstated to Premier League duty. Matt Donohue and assistant Blake Antrobus failed to judge that Manchester City midfielder Enzo Fernandez was offside and interfering with play during the incident at Old Trafford on September 13. Donohue is set to return to the Premier League and will serve as assistant VAR when Coventry host Fulham on Saturday.
He has not featured in any of the three match rounds since the incident, while Antrobus made his first appearance since the derby as an assistant referee for Newcastle's home fixture against Aston Villa last Saturday. Donohue has officiated in the EFL since the derby, refereeing Championship matches between Derby and Wrexham on October 10 and Southampton vs Bolton last weekend. Pro Ref's chief refereeing officer Howard Webb said Donohue developed "tunnel vision" by focusing on whether Haaland was offside, and added that the team around him should have helped pull him out of it.
Sky Sports News reported United received an apology over the incorrect VAR decision. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player In the 59th minute, Haaland tapped in a cross to give 10-man Man City the lead, but the goal was ruled out on-field after the assistant referee signalled for offside on the striker. The semi-automated offside technology ruled Haaland onside, so the goal stood, but City midfielder Enzo Fernandez was clearly offside when he dived to reach the same cross.
Although he didn't touch the ball, Fernandez's movement appeared to affect Man Utd's Lisandro Martinez's defending before Haaland's back-post finish, which, under the laws of the game, should have meant the goal was disallowed. In their post on X explaining why the goal was awarded, the Premier League Match Centre wrote: "VAR checked the referee's call of no goal for offside - and determined that Haaland was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded. "The VAR also deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn't play the ball." However, in a statement released hours after Man City's win, Pro Ref said it had contacted Man Utd to acknowledge an "error of judgment" and that the VAR "should have recommended an on-field review" for Haaland's winner.
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 offside against Erling Haaland - that was checked by VAR and he was found to be in an onside position. "In the same attack, it was established that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball and therefore that makes any offside 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." On Match Officials Mic'd Up, Webb said he was "really disappointed" by the decision and added: "The on-field decision was not against Fernandez; it was against Haaland. When the VAR starts their check, they see that Haaland is actually onside by three centimetres.
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