VAR Officials Blocked from Future ManUnited Matches After Derby Blunder

The two officials at the centre of the VAR controversy in Sunday's Manchester derby are set to be kept away from Manchester United matches for the foreseeable future, according to Daily Mail Sport.

Matt Donohue and assistant Blake Antrobus were left out of this weekend's fixtures after refs' chief Howard Webb admitted an "error of judgement" had been made in the decision to let Erling Haaland's winning goal stand for City at Old Trafford.

[ Phil Foden Mocks Man United Fans After City’s 1-0 Derby Win ]

According to the report, the pair are now highly unlikely to work on United games again for some time. Referees’ body Pro Ref says Donohue and Antrobus will not take charge of any matches until at least after the international break.

Haaland's 60th-minute goal was initially disallowed for offside, with the striker judged to have strayed beyond United's last defender. VAR then stepped in and ruled that Haaland had actually been kept onside by a touch from United's Patrick Dorgu.

However, officials appeared to miss that Haaland's teammate, Enzo Fernandez, who was in an offside position, had clearly interfered with play given how close he was to United defender Lisandro Martinez and goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Referee Michael Oliver was told to overturn his original call and award the goal.

[Schmeichel Calls for VAR to Be Scrapped After Controversial Haaland Winner]

Webb, a former World Cup final referee said to be "devastated" by the mistake, explained that the VAR team had judged that because Fernandez did not touch the ball, any offside offence was "subjective." He admitted, though, that the officials had failed to recognise the "likely impact of his position" and should have sent the decision to an on-field review. He apologised to United and confirmed a full review of the incident would follow.

United boss Michael Carrick, whose side have now won just one of their opening four league games, said he was left baffled by the explanation he received.

"The explanation I got was he (Fernandez) wasn't interfering with play," Carrick said. "So 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, screens, and so many whatever offices to try and come up with the right decisions."

He added: "If that's how the rules are interpreted, that you're not interfering with play because you've thrown yourself at the ball six yards from goal and pretty much nearly touched it, which then Lisandro has to react from, it's worrying if that's really how the game's seen by those who are officiating it. I think we all understand what that rule means and it's pretty obvious. It's as obvious as it gets."

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

Pro Ref confirmed on Monday that Donohue and Antrobus had been stood down, though the decision has done little to calm the reaction from fans, former players and pundits. Some have gone further and called for VAR to be scrapped altogether, arguing that a system run by humans will always be vulnerable to human error. That outcome remains unlikely, though, since Premier League clubs voted 19-1 to keep VAR at the last review in 2024, and the one club that voted against it, Wolverhampton Wanderers, are no longer in the league.

The controversy capped a difficult weekend for Pro Ref, who also faced criticism from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after Sunderland were awarded a penalty when Ezri Konsa was judged to have pulled down Dan Ballard from a long throw, a decision that was upheld on VAR review.

"I am so upset," Arteta said, arguing that Ballard had actually initiated the contact. "It is unacceptable at this level, unacceptable. It can change the course of the season. I've seen it 10 times to make sure and I said 'it is not possible it is penalty'. It is a judo roll. That's what it is. This cannot happen."

Arsenal have also contacted Pro Ref for an explanation.

There have been several other contentious calls just four games into the season. The Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel ruled that Arsenal should have had a penalty at Aston Villa for a challenge by Ian Maatsen on Bruno Guimaraes, and that Maatsen should have received a second yellow card. 

The same panel ruled that Nottingham Forest should not have been given a penalty at Liverpool for a challenge by Alisson on Nico Williams, while Tottenham were left frustrated when Omar Marmoush was not awarded a penalty against Newcastle, with the panel ruling 4-1 that the incident did not meet the threshold.

Interestingly, some at Manchester City privately feel a sense of justice has been restored. Back in January 2023, City were on the wrong end of a similar decision, when Marcus Rashford was ruled not to be interfering with play as Bruno Fernandes scored an equaliser in a derby United went on to win 2-1. At the time, then-City boss Pep Guardiola said the club would not make an official complaint. "Sometimes it happens in our favour, sometimes it's like that," he said.