The drive for quicker Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions in the Premier League may have contributed to a significant error during the Manchester derby, where Erling Haaland's winning goal was allowed to stand despite a clear offside. Video assistant referee Matt Donohue's audibly rushed calls, such as "Quick, quick, quick, quick! Go, go, go, go, go!," indicate a pressure to expedite reviews.
This urgency reportedly led to Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus failing to notice Enzo Fernandez was three yards offside before attempting to head the ball. The goal was ultimately given, resulting in a 1-0 victory for Manchester City over Manchester United. While officials are under constant scrutiny, the introduction of VAR has amplified this pressure. The Premier League had set "more efficient application of VAR to reduce delays" as a key principle for the season, potentially prioritizing speed over accuracy.
City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged that making quick decisions is challenging for VAR officials. "To make a decision in 10, 20 seconds is not easy for them," Guardiola stated. "Sometimes they make mistakes. I make mistakes, players make mistakes. It's part of our job."
Referees' chief Howard Webb has acknowledged the desire for quicker reviews, but noted the balancing act involved. Statistics show a reduction in VAR delays, from an average of 46 seconds per game to 36 seconds season-on-season. However, another notable VAR error, the failure to award Arsenal a penalty against Aston Villa, is also suspected to have stemmed from a review conducted too rapidly.
Further analysis of the derby incident revealed procedural issues beyond the rushed calls. The VAR team reportedly stopped the video on the first replay when Josko Gvardiol touched the ball, and immediately moved to the semi-automated offside technology. This approach may have prevented them from assessing the full attacking phase, including the ball's trajectory to Haaland's head and Fernandez's position and impact. The events within the penalty area were apparently not fully considered until the attacking phase was reviewed, at which point the focus shifted to whether Fernandez had touched the ball, which would have placed Haaland offside.
The involvement of Antrobus, the assistant VAR, has also been questioned. His contribution to the review reportedly consisted of a brief confirmation of a potential touch by Fernandez, just before Donohue declared the final decision. Antrobus' role is to provide checks and balances, a function that critics suggest fell short in this instance. Notably, Antrobus was also the assistant VAR in a previous game between Brentford and Sunderland, which saw a lengthy four-minute delay for a subjective offside decision.
Despite significant training and resources invested in VAR by Pro Ref, the magnitude of this error highlights a systemic failure. Donohue, who has officiated 65 Premier League VAR matches and is on the international list, is considered a VAR specialist under the Premier League's definition. While mistakes are acknowledged as difficult to avoid in such a demanding role, the incident has raised questions about Pro Ref's processes and the pressure placed on officials to rush reviews, particularly in high-profile matches. The obsession with speed, it is argued, risks undermining the work done to ensure VAR accuracy.