Pro Ref have pulled two officials out of the firing line ahead of the next round of Premier League matches.
Manchester United v Manchester City - Premier League 2026/27
Michael Oliver was the referee for Man United vs Man City (Image: Getty)
The VAR and Assistant VAR officials responsible for the mess that unfolded in the Manchester derby have been stood down for the next round of Premier League matches. Neither VAR Matt Donohue or his assistant Blake Antrobus will work a match this weekend after Howard Webb made the decision to pull the pair out of action. It comes after Erling Haaland's goal was wrongly allowed to stand at Old Trafford.
Enzo Fernandez was clearly offside and attempted to play the ball, impacting the decision-making of United duo Senne Lammens and Lisandro Martinez, before Haaland scored. The goal was ruled out on the pitch after the offside flag was raised. Haaland was then cleared and ruled onside while those inside Stockley Park deemed that Fernandez did not interfere and allowed the goal to stand. They did not tell referee Michael Oliver to consult the pitch-side monitor to make his own mind up. That ultimately meant 10-man Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0. Pro Ref later admitted there had been "an error of judgement" and promised a review into the incident.
They added: "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."
A Premier League Match Centre statement had earlier explained: "The VAR also deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn't play the ball." But Webb and Pro Ref have clearly acknowledged that that justification was incorrect.
Oliver will still work this weekend, though. He will be the man in the middle for Liverpool's trip to Bournemouth as Andoni Iraola returns to the Vitality Stadium for the first time as an opposition coach.
Oliver will be joined for the match by one of his assistants at Old Trafford - Stuart Burt - while the other, Tim Wood, is working Leeds United vs Crystal Palace on the same day. The fourth official from the Manchester derby, Paul Tierney, will be the VAR at Elland Road.
That only Donohue and Antrobus have been dropped for the fifth round of matches in the 2026/27 Premier League season makes it clear where Webb feels the blame lies. The former referee has not yet spoken publicly on the matter but Pro Ref have been in contact with United to apologise.
Baffled Red Devils boss Michael Carrick said of the decision post-match: "The explanation I got was he [Enzo Fernandez] wasn't interfering with play. So I just don't get it. I really don't get it.
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Enzo Fernandez offside call
Enzo Fernandez was bizarrely judged not to have gone for the ball (Image: Sky Sports)
Manchester United v Manchester City - Premier League 2026/27
The VAR officials have been blamed for allowing Man City's goal to stand (Image: Getty)
"I can't understand how they're trying to help referees and putting so many layers behind them with so many people, so many bodies, so many screens, and so many whatever offices they are to try and come up with the right decisions.
"If that's how the rules are interpreted, that you're not interfering with play because you've thrown yourself at the ball six yards from goal and pretty much nearly touched it, which then Licha (Martinez) has to react from.
"On top of that, the line was a bit dubious where they drew the line to start with. It's worrying if that’s really how the game's seen by those who are officiating it."
While centre-back Martinez called it an "injustice" and said to the broadcaster: "Five or six people (officials) doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable."
Legendary former United defender Gary Pallister has even gone as far to say it is "the worst VAR decision ever."
Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: "There is no doubt that Enzo is attempting to play the ball and putting Lisandro Martinez off. It's a really strange one. They'll recognise they got that wrong.
"I think they are ignoring the rule. They are digging themselves a bigger hole [with the Match Centre statement]. I'm really surprised they put that out. They will have to retract that."