Rooney Slams "Horrendous" VAR Call as United Players Voice Fury Over Haaland Goal

Wayne Rooney has launched into an angry rant over what he called a "horrendous" VAR decision that allowed Erling Haaland's winning goal to stand against Manchester United.

Referee chiefs have since admitted the call was wrong, apologising to United after VAR official Matt Donohue failed to penalise Enzo Fernandez for straying offside and interfering with play just before Haaland scored. Fernandez had clearly gone for the ball, challenging Lisandro Martinez, but the goal was allowed to stand because he did not actually touch it.

Speaking on Match of the Day, Rooney did not hold back.

"I'm just so sick of this VAR. I think it's horrendous," he said. "It's taken all the emotion out of the game, the energy which the game is played with."

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He was particularly baffled that officials missed something he felt was obvious.

"To not see that and recognise that Enzo Fernandez is in an offside position, anyone who's played the game at any level understands and knows that he's in an offside position," Rooney said. "To get it so wrong, it's just baffling."

The confusion started with Haaland himself, who looked offside from the original cross but was actually kept onside by a touch from Patrick Dorgu. Fernandez, though offside, was let off despite rules stating a player in that position should be penalised if he affects an opponent by going for the ball.

Former City goalkeeper Joe Hart, speaking on Premier League Productions, said he could not understand the decision either.

"The fact that Enzo Fernandez is there and makes an attempt to go for the ball, that affects him," Hart said. "So therefore, by the letter of the law, I can't believe, I absolutely cannot believe that all the people that are involved in making this decision and they've come up with that Enzo Fernandez did not impact the play, because anyone involved in football will tell you right there that he did."

United boss Michael Carrick was equally unimpressed with the explanation he was given.

"If that's the interpretation of not interfering in the game now, that's really worrying for me. It's a staggering explanation," Carrick said. "I just don't get it. I really don't get it. I can't understand how they're trying to help referees and putting so many layers behind them with so many people, so many bodies, so many screens, and so many whatever offices they are to try and come up with the right decisions."

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He added that the placement of the offside line only added to his frustration.

"On top of that, the line was a bit dubious where they drew the line to start with," Carrick said. "It's worrying if that's really how the game's seen by those who are officiating it."

Defender Lisandro Martinez, who was directly involved in the passage of play, said the result left United feeling cheated.

"It's the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and now we have to go home with this injustice," Martinez said. "I think it was offside. What I can't understand is the rules. He (Fernandez) was there, in front of me, and I went to him. So that's why Haaland was free at the back."

He also questioned how such an error could happen given the amount of preparation clubs are given on the rules each season.

"It's so hard because you lose a derby and you lose three points at home," Martinez said. "Every season they're coming to our club and explaining the rules for an hour-and-a-half. They look so confident, and then after that five or six people are making these kind of mistakes. It's unacceptable."

Pro Ref, formerly known as the PGMOL, later released a statement acknowledging the mistake. "The on-field decision was offside against Erling Haaland, that was checked by VAR and he was found to be in an onside position," the statement read. 

"In the same attack, it was established that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball and therefore that makes any offside offence subjective, however, on this occasion, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position and should have recommended an on-field review. Contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgement. A review of the incident will take place."