PGMOL Concedes Error Over Erling Haaland Goal in Manchester Derby

Referees body Professional Game Match Officials Limited has acknowledged a misjudgement regarding the decision to award Erling Haaland a goal during Manchester City’s recent Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The incident occurred in the 60th minute of the fixture when the Norwegian forward put the ball into the net. Match officials on the pitch initially ruled Haaland offside, but that decision was overturned following a video assistant referee check that determined the striker was in an onside position.

VAR Review Omission

Despite the initial onside ruling on Haaland, officiating authorities through PRO Ref have since indicated that the review process fell short. Officials confirmed that the video assistant referee failed to adequately evaluate the influence of Enzo Fernandez’s positioning during the build-up to the strike.

Because Fernandez did not make contact with the ball, any possible infraction involving him remained subjective. According to the officiating review, VAR should have identified the potential impact of his movement on the passage of play and advised the on-field referee to conduct a personal check at the pitchside monitor.

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Source: NotJustOk