Pro Ref issues new Manchester derby VAR explanation after Erling Haaland offside controversy | OneFootball

City took derby day spoils on controversial afternoon at Old Trafford

Pro Ref boss Howard Webb said VAR officials suffered from “tunnel vision” in allowing Erling Haaland’s Manchester derby winner to stand.

Manchester City won a cagey derby 1-0 on Sunday, with Haaland’s controversial back-post tap-in allowed to stand after a lengthy check.

He was deemed onside by VAR Matt Donohue thanks to Patrick Dorgu’s position, with the margin just three centimetres. Debate raged following the decision, though, as Enzo Fernandez, who was offside, was not considered to have made a play on the ball despite attempting to head it goalwards, distracting United’s Senne Lammens and Lisandro Martinez in doing so.

Pro Ref admitted an “error of judgement” soon afterwards, and Webb has now explained Donohue suffered from “tunnel vision” by focusing solely on Haaland’s position and neglecting to consider that of Fernandez.

Speaking on the Premier League show Mic’d Up, he said: “The on-field decision (initially ruling the goal out) is not against Fernandez, it’s against Haaland.

“You’ll hear that clearly on the comms. And when the VAR starts their check, they see through the use of the semi-automated offside technology, that Haaland, when he’s played, is actually onside by three centimetres, played on by Dorgu on the far side, and the VAR gets super focused on Haaland.

“But of course, when he then runs it back through the full APP, he doesn’t truly evaluate the full impact of Fernandez’s position. He has a look to see if he touches the ball, because then that relates to potentially knocking it to Haaland, who goes on to score.

“He doesn’t touch the ball, but he doesn’t truly evaluate other elements of offside. In that moment, he gets tunnel vision. He gets focused on Haaland, and it’s down to the rest of his team to pull him out of that tunnel, and unfortunately, that didn’t happen on this occasion.”

Webb said Pro Ref had issued apologies to Manchester United, adding: “I was really disappointed with this outcome. We all are. None more so than the officials themselves.”

VAR also came under fire after Phil Foden was sent off in the first half, having appeared to kick out at United’s Bruno Fernandes, who had appeared to do the same to the City player moments before but got off scot-free.