Key VAR Officials Benched After Controversial Manchester Derby Decision

The fallout from the Manchester derby continues as the Premier League has decided not to assign VAR officials Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus for this weekend's matches. This decision comes in light of an 'error of judgement' surrounding Erling Haaland's decisive goal for Manchester City against Manchester United last Sunday.

During the match, Haaland netted the winner in the 60th minute after initially being ruled offside. The VAR review overturned this decision, citing that Haaland was onside due to an intervention from Patrick Dorgu. However, this ruling has sparked controversy due to Enzo Fernandez's positioning, who was in an offside position and appeared to interfere with play.

Pro Ref, the refereeing body, acknowledged the misstep, stating, "It was established that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball and therefore that makes any offside offence subjective." They admitted that the VAR team failed to recognize the potential impact of Fernandez's position and should have suggested a review to the on-field officials. This decision leaves fans questioning the transparency and reliability of VAR in crucial moments.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk