Wayne Rooney launched a furious attack on VAR after Erling Haaland's winning goal was allowed to stand for Manchester City against Manchester United, with refereeing chiefs later admitting the decision was a mistake.
Pro Ref, formerly known as the PGMOL, apologised to United after failing to penalise Enzo Fernandez for straying offside in the build-up to Haaland's goal in the 60th minute of Sunday's derby at Old Trafford. The Manchester City midfielder clearly interfered with play immediately before the goal, challenging Lisandro Martinez for the ball.
VAR official Matt Donohue allowed the goal to stand on the basis that City's new £125million signing did not touch the ball. Speaking on Match of the Day, Rooney said: 'I'm just so sick of this VAR. I think it's horrendous. It's taken all the emotion out of the game, the energy which the game is played with.'
Rooney questions offside call
Rooney went further, insisting the error was obvious to anyone who has played the sport. 'To not see that and recognise that Enzo Fernandez is in an offside position, anyone who's played the game at any level understands and knows that he's in an offside position,' he said. 'To get it so wrong, it's just baffling.'
The VAR check was initially triggered by a possible offside against Haaland from the original cross, but he was found to have been played onside by Patrick Dorgu. Fernandez was let off for his interference, even though the laws of the game state that a player in an offside position must be penalised if they affect an opponent by attempting to play the ball.
Hart and Carrick react
Joe Hart, who made 348 appearances for Manchester City during his career, said he was stunned by the decision, which allowed City to continue their winning start in the Premier League under manager Enzo Maresca. 'The fact that Enzo Fernandez is there and makes an attempt to go for the ball, that affects him,' Hart said on Premier League Productions. 'So therefore, by the letter of the law... I can't believe, I absolutely cannot believe that all the people that are involved in making this decision and they've come up with that Enzo Fernandez did not impact the play, because anyone involved in football will tell you right there that he did.'
United manager Michael Carrick was also unsettled by the ruling. 'If that's the interpretation of not interfering in the game now, that's really worrying for me. It's a staggering explanation,' he said. 'I just don't get it. I really don't get it. 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.'
Carrick added that Fernandez had 'thrown yourself at the ball six yards from goal and pretty much nearly touched it,' forcing goalkeeper Leif to react, and questioned where the offside line had been drawn in the first place. 'It's worrying if that's really how the game's seen by those who are officiating it,' he said.
Martinez calls result an 'injustice'
Defender Lisandro Martinez, who was challenged by Fernandez in the build-up, said United had been left with an injustice. 'It's the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and now we have to go home with this injustice,' he said.
'I think it was offside. What I can't understand is the rules. He (Fernandez) was there, in front of me, and I went to him. So that's why Haaland was free at the back,' Martinez said. 'It's so hard because you lose a derby and you lose three points at home. Every season they're coming to our club and explaining the rules for an hour-and-a-half. They look so confident, and then after that five or six people are making these kind of mistakes. It's unacceptable.'
What Pro Ref said
Pro Ref is the body responsible for overseeing refereeing standards in English professional football, having taken over from the PGMOL. In a statement, it said: 'Following the incident in the 60th minute of Sunday's Premier League fixture between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford, we can provide clarification regarding Erling Haaland's awarded goal.'
'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.'
Pro Ref confirmed that contact had been made with Manchester United to acknowledge what it called an error of judgement, and said a review of the incident will take place.
