Erling Haaland's winning goal for Manchester City against Manchester United has sparked a furious VAR row after his team-mate Enzo Fernandez was clearly offside in the build-up. The Norwegian's 60th-minute finish gave City a derby victory at Old Trafford despite the visitors being down to 10 men for over an hour.
What happened in the build-up
As Josko Gvardiol's cross deflected into the six-yard box towards Haaland, City's summer signing Fernandez was clearly two yards offside. Lisandro Martinez moved towards his fellow Argentine in an attempt to stop him scoring a header. Fernandez was unable to get any contact on the ball, but Martinez's move forward left Haaland free at the back post to make it 1-0.
The goal was initially disallowed on the field, with it thought Haaland had strayed beyond the line. But replays showed that the Norwegian goalscorer had actually been played onside by Dorgu. Attention then turned to Fernandez's role in the goal. Yet because Fernandez did not touch the ball, Premier League officials deemed that the goal should stand.
Official explanation and reaction
In a statement on social media, the Premier League Match Centre said: "VAR checked the referee's call of no goal for offside – and determined that Haaland was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded. The VAR also deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn't play the ball."
An angry Martinez said post-match: "I think [Fernandez] was offside. And what I can't understand is the rules, you know? He was there! I went to him because he was there in front of me. That's why Haaland was free at the back [post]."
He added: "I want to be calm now, I want to control myself. It is so hard. It is so hard because you lose a derby, you lose three points at home. Every season they [officials] come to our club and explain an hour, an hour-and-a-half the rules and they look so confident with that. Then after, five or six people [officials] doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable. It's the best league in the world and you have the best teams and players in the world. We have to go home with this injustice."
Further criticism from pundits
United boss Michael Carrick added: "If we've got people in place that are meant to understand the game of football or not interfering with play or impacting an attack, throwing your body at it with a defender next to him, it's really worrying for me, if that's how it's interpreted. It's a staggering decision. I can't understand it once I seen it then the explanation almost makes it worse. Well, the explanation that he's not interfering with play. Incredible."
Co-commentator and United legend Gary Neville reacted to the Match Centre statement: "They're the words that I think - emphatically - means we will see an apology from Pro Ref. There is no doubt that Enzo is attempting to play the ball and putting Lisandro Martinez off. It's a really strange one. They'll recognise they got that wrong."
He added on his podcast: "I think they are ignoring the rule. They are digging themselves a bigger hole [with the Match Centre statement]. I'm really surprised they put that out. They will have to retract that."
Roy Keane added: "Fernandez is interfering with play. Basically, United have been punished for holding a good line. When you are in that position, you are impacting the game. You're in the middle of the box, you're going for the ball. Their line is good. Fernandez is offside, and he goes to play the ball, so United are getting punished for good defending."
