VAR from Manchester derby not given Premier League game this weekend

Matt Donohue, along with assistant Blake Antrobus, awarded a goal to City after a VAR check, despite Enzo Fernandez appearing to interfere with play in an offside position in the build-up to Erling Haaland’s goal.

Referees’ body Pro Ref conceded it had been an error for Donohue not to send referee Michael Oliver to the screen to determine whether Fernandez’s involvement was sufficient to make him offside. The goal had been disallowed on field for an offside against Haaland, who was found on review to be being played onside by Patrick Dorgu.

Fernandez certainly appeared to have an impact on the actions of United defender Lisandro Martinez and goalkeeper Senne Lammens in his attempt to head the ball in, which would meet the definition for offside to be given.

Donohue made his Premier League officiating debut in May 2024, having gained promotion to the EFL’s assistant referees list in 2014. He has been used extensively as a VAR over the last two years.

Antrobus has also not been appointed to a game this weekend. Oliver will officiate Sunday’s match between Bournemouth and Liverpool.

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said the decision to give the goal was “baffling”.

Rooney told the BBC’s Match of the Day 2: “I’m just so sick of this VAR, I think it’s horrendous. It takes all the emotion off the game, the energy the game’s played with, and to not see that and recognise Fernandez is in an offside position…

“Anyone who’s played the game at any level understands that and knows that he’s in an offside position…to get it so wrong, it’s just baffling.”

Pro Ref has contacted Manchester United over the incident.

Former Coventry and Cardiff forward Jay Bothroyd called for the officials to be reprimanded over the incident on Sky Sports News’ Ref Watch programme, but when asked for his views on the consequences for the officials, ex-referee Dermot Gallagher said: “Well, it’s in house, isn’t it? I have to tell you, when I was a referee, and referees now, we actually beat ourselves up if we get something wrong.

“We are the worst enemies for ourselves. (This incident is) really unfortunate, but that’s it. You can’t change that. You can only change the present and the future. And you’ve got to learn from it.”

Gallagher said the officials “lost focus”, adding: “I think they’ve focused on one element of that law (whether Fernandez touched the ball) and that focus has diverted them away from the real thing.”

Bothroyd said the officials had to be punished and called for ex-players to be involved in VAR decision-making.

“Players make mistakes, right? And they get reprimanded. Officials need to do the same thing. There needs to be some kind of punishment for officials as well, because saying I’m sorry is just not good enough,” he said.

“(Manchester United head coach) Michael Carrick’s under pressure now. He’s under pressure now, so he could lose his job because of them making a bad decision.

“I know for absolute certain, any player that’s played at any level that is looking at that today or when the game was happening will be saying, ‘Enzo Fernandez is definitely interfering with play’.”

Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer of Pro Ref, is set to appear on the ‘Match Officials: Mic’d Up’ programme which will air on Sky Sports and TNT Sports on Tuesday, where he is likely to address the incident in the Manchester derby.

The Press Association understands Webb and the Pro Ref management team made the decision not to appoint Donohue and Antrobus to matches. The decision means the pair will not officiate on a top-flight match until October 10 at the earliest, with an international break following this weekend’s fixtures.