The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) who made a critical error in awarding a goal to Manchester City in Sunday's derby at Old Trafford has not been assigned to a Premier League game this weekend. Matt Donohue, along with assistant Blake Antrobus, controversially allowed Erling Haaland's goal to stand after a VAR review, despite Enzo Fernandez appearing to be in an offside position and interfering with play.
Referees' body PGMOL acknowledged the error, stating that Donohue should have instructed on-field referee Michael Oliver to review the incident on the pitchside monitor to determine whether Fernandez's involvement constituted offside. The initial on-field decision had been to disallow the goal for offside against Haaland, who was initially flagged as being played onside by Patrick Dorgu.
Fernandez's actions in attempting to head the ball appeared to influence Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez and goalkeeper Senne Lammens, which is a key factor in offside rule interpretations.
Donohue, who made his Premier League officiating debut in May 2024, has been a regular VAR official for the past two seasons. Antrobus has also been excluded from this weekend's appointments. Meanwhile, Michael Oliver is scheduled to officiate Sunday's match between Bournemouth and Liverpool.
The decision has drawn criticism from former players. Wayne Rooney described the call as "baffling," expressing frustration with VAR's impact on the game's emotion and energy. He argued that anyone with playing experience would recognize Fernandez's offside position and interference.
Jay Bothroyd, a former Coventry and Cardiff forward, called for officials to be reprimanded. However, former referee Dermot Gallagher suggested that officials often self-critique their mistakes internally. Gallagher noted that the officials "lost focus" by concentrating on whether Fernandez touched the ball rather than his overall interference.
Bothroyd also advocated for former players to be involved in VAR decision-making and stressed the need for accountability, stating that apologies are insufficient. He pointed out that managerial pressure, such as that faced by Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick, could be exacerbated by such officiating errors.
Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer for PGMOL, is expected to address the incident on the upcoming "Match Officials: Mic'd Up" program.