Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford has been overshadowed by the Haaland VAR controversy, after refereeing body Pro Ref admitted that Erling Haaland’s winning goal should not have stood.
The decisive moment came when Haaland converted from a Josko Gvardiol cross. Although Haaland himself was shown to be onside, the controversy centred on Enzo Fernández, who was in an offside position and challenged for the ball before Haaland scored.
Haaland VAR controversy: why was the goal allowed?
The assistant referee initially raised the flag for offside, but the VAR review focused on Haaland’s position and determined that he was onside.
The key issue was Fernández’s involvement earlier in the move.
Fernández attempted to play the cross while positioned offside and was being marked by Lisandro Martínez. Under the offside law, a player can be penalised even without touching the ball if their actions clearly affect an opponent’s ability to play it.
Pro Ref later acknowledged that Fernández had interfered with Martínez and that the goal should therefore have been disallowed.
What did Pro Ref say?
After reviewing the incident, Pro Ref described the decision to award the goal as an error of judgment.
The VAR team involved in the decision was subsequently stood down from Premier League duties for the following round of matches.
The admission added another chapter to the ongoing debate around VAR and how offside interference is interpreted.
The Haaland VAR controversy has renewed questions about how officials interpret offside interference in decisive Premier League moments.
Why the decision matters
The controversy was particularly significant because Haaland’s goal was the only goal of the Manchester derby.
Manchester City won 1-0 despite playing part of the match with 10 men following Phil Foden’s red card.
For Manchester United, the mistake proved costly in a tightly contested derby, while for the Premier League it raised further questions about consistency and communication in VAR decisions.
What happens next?
The incident is likely to increase pressure for clearer explanations of VAR decisions and more consistent application of the offside law.
The technology correctly established Haaland’s position, but the controversy showed that automated offside systems cannot replace the judgment required to decide whether another player is interfering with play.
That distinction could remain one of the most important VAR debates of the 2026/27 Premier League season.
