Pro Ref Admits 'Error of Judgement' Over Erling Haaland’s Manchester Derby Winner

Refereeing body Pro Ref has formally acknowledged an "error of judgement" in allowing Erling Haaland's 60th-minute winning goal to stand during Manchester City’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The controversy erupted in the second half when the assistant referee originally raised an offside flag following Haaland's finish from a Joško Gvardiol cross. A subsequent two-minute Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review overturned the call on the field after determining that Haaland was in a legal position.

However, the post-match review highlighted a critical oversight involving City midfielder Enzo Fernández. While Fernández did not make physical contact with the ball, he was positioned offside and attempted a header, directly affecting United defender Lisandro Martínez’s ability to defend the cross.

Pro Ref Statement

Pro Ref confirmed it has contacted Manchester United directly to acknowledge the officiating mistake:

"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 Fernández 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."

Match Fallout

• Red Card Resilience: Manchester City secured all three points despite playing over an hour with 10 men following Phil Foden's 23rd-minute red card for a high challenge on Bruno Fernandes.

• Record Finish: The decisive goal marked Haaland's 9th Premier League Manchester derby goal, surpassing Wayne Rooney and Sergio Agüero for the most goals in the fixture's Premier League era.

• United Frustration: Lisandro Martínez expressed intense dissatisfaction following the match, arguing that Fernández's offside positioning directly prevented him from closing down Haaland at the back post.