Professional Game Referees (Pro Ref) has officially acknowledged an error of judgment regarding the decisive goal in
The goal was initially flagged for offside against Haaland, but a VAR intervention overturned the on-field decision. While the
Official Acknowledgment and Reaction
Following the conclusion of the match, Pro Ref issued a statement confirming that contact had been made with Manchester United to address the situation. The organization admitted that the failure to recognize the impact of Fernandez's position was an error and announced that a formal review of the incident would be conducted. This admission has brought significant scrutiny to the officiating process during the high-stakes derby.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick expressed his concerns regarding the decision, describing the officials' conclusion as worrying. The sentiment was echoed by United defender Lisandro Martinez, who was directly involved in the play. Martinez stated that he was forced to react to the presence of his international teammate, Fernandez, which left Haaland unmarked at the back post. The defender labeled the outcome an injustice, criticizing the officiating team for what he described as an unacceptable mistake in a Premier League fixture.
