Two Video Officials Were Stood Down After English Referees Admitted the Manchester Derby Goal Should Have Been Reviewed
Pro Ref said the video assistant did not recognise the likely impact of an offside player and should have recommended an on-field review of Erling Haaland's winner.
The two video officials from the Manchester derby were stood down from Premier League duty on 14 September 2026 after the English refereeing body Pro Ref accepted that the goal which decided the match should have been reviewed.
Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on 13 September, with Erling Haaland scoring in the 60th minute from a cross by Josko Gvardiol. Haaland himself was onside. Pro Ref said a City player in an offside position moved towards the ball without touching it and affected the Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez's ability to defend.
In a statement the body said the video assistant referee did not recognise the likely impact of that player's position and should have recommended an on-field review. It added that contact had been made with Manchester United on the evening of the match to acknowledge what it deemed an error of judgement, and that a review of the incident would take place.
The video assistant referee Matt Donohue and the assistant video assistant Blake Antrobus were removed from this week's assignments in a decision taken by the chief refereeing officer Howard Webb and the Pro Ref management team. Donohue also misses League Cup fixtures, and neither official is expected to return until after the October international break.
The Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick had called the goal an injustice on the night and told his squad to move on. Wayne Rooney described the decision as baffling.