VAR Error Hands Manchester City Derby Win Over United

A Derby Decided by Controversy

Manchester City secured a 1-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday, but the match will be remembered for a major refereeing blunder. Erling Haaland scored the winning goal after Manchester City had been reduced to ten players. Phil Foden was sent off after just 25 minutes of play, leaving City to fight with a numerical disadvantage.

Haaland's goal was initially ruled out for offside by assistant referee Stuart Burt. However, the video assistant referee team, Matthew Donohue and Blake Antrobus, overturned the decision. They judged that City midfielder Enzo Fernández was not challenging for the ball or obstructing United defender Lisandro Martínez, despite throwing himself at a Josko Gvardiol cross.

An Admission of Error

The decision caused immediate outrage. Under the laws of the game, Fernández was offside because he attempted to play the ball and blocked an opponent's path. By over-analyzing the situation, the video officials made a clear mistake.

Three hours after the final whistle, the referees' body, Pro Ref, issued a statement admitting the goal was awarded in error. The apology did nothing to help Manchester United, who walked away with zero points.

The defeat leaves United manager Michael Carrick under intense pressure. United have now equaled their worst start to a Premier League season, securing only four points from their opening four games. Meanwhile, City got a massive boost in the title race.

What it means for the next game

Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion (Carabao Cup, Wed, 16 Sep): Manchester United win 52%, draw 23%, Brighton & Hove Albion win 25%; expected goals 2.00 to 1.36. Our safest pick: Manchester United or Draw.

Manchester City vs Norwich City (Carabao Cup, Thu, 17 Sep): Manchester City win 81%, draw 12%, Norwich City win 7%; expected goals 3.12 to 0.87. Our safest pick: Over 2.5 goals.