The Professional Game Referees Limited (PGMOL) has admitted that allowing Erling Haaland's winning goal in Manchester City's 1-0 victory over Manchester United was an “error of judgment”. The controversial decision came after VAR overturned an initial offside ruling against Haaland, despite City midfielder Enzo Fernandez being in an offside position and attempting to reach the ball before the striker. The incident occurred around the hour mark of the Manchester derby, with City already playing with 10 men. Phil Foden had been sent off for kicking Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes, leaving Pep Guardiola's side a player short as the match entered its decisive phase.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, City took the lead when Haaland converted a close-range opportunity created by Josko Gvardiol's cross. The goal was initially ruled out for offside, with Haaland judged to have been beyond the last defender when the ball was played. However, the decision was subsequently reviewed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). After examining the incident, VAR instructed the referee to overturn the on-field decision, allowing the goal to stand and giving Manchester City the lead in a match that remained heavily contested.

The controversy centred on Fernandez's position during the attacking move. Although Haaland was ultimately allowed to score, Fernandez was in an offside position and appeared to attempt to reach the ball before it reached Haaland. Under the laws of the game, a player in an offside position can be penalised if they become involved in active play or interfere with an opponent or the ability of an opponent to play the ball. The circumstances of Fernandez's involvement therefore became central to the debate over whether the goal should have been allowed. Pro Ref later acknowledged that the decision to overturn the original ruling was incorrect.

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Its admission that the incident represented an “error of judgment” effectively confirmed the concerns raised over the VAR intervention. The decision has consequently become one of the main talking points from the Manchester derby, particularly because the goal proved decisive in determining the result. For Manchester City, the goal was crucial because it secured a 1-0 victory despite the team having to play with 10 men following Foden's dismissal. Haaland's finish provided the difference between the two sides and allowed City to claim the points from a match in which United were unable to find an equaliser.

The striker's goal therefore had a direct impact on the outcome, making the refereeing controversy even more significant. VAR was introduced to reduce clear and obvious refereeing mistakes by allowing key decisions to be reviewed using video footage. However, the Haaland incident has once again raised questions about how offside situations involving players who do not ultimately touch the ball should be interpreted. While the technology can establish a player's position with considerable precision, determining whether an offside player has interfered with play can still involve an element of interpretation.

The admission from Pro Ref means that the decision has now been officially acknowledged as an error rather than remaining solely a matter of debate among supporters and pundits. The incident is likely to fuel further discussion about the consistency of VAR decisions and the interpretation of offside laws. For City, however, the ruling stood during the match and Haaland's goal secured the derby victory, leaving United to reflect on a defeat shaped in part by a contentious refereeing decision.

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