Gary Neville: Man Utd can expect apology after officials got Erling Haaland's Manchester derby winner wrong
Man City scored controversial winner at Man Utd to earn 1-0 victory at Old Trafford; Gary Neville believes the VAR officials were "wrong" to award Erling Haaland's goal; Sky Sports pundit has predicted English football's officiating body, Pro Ref, will issue an apology for allowing it
Sunday 13 September 2026 20:16, UK
Gary Neville believes the VAR officials were "wrong" to award Manchester City's winner at Manchester United in their 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
And the Sky Sports pundit has predicted English football's officiating body, Pro Ref, will issue an apology for allowing Erling Haaland's goal.
The striker's goal was initially disallowed for offside on the pitch before VAR overturned the decision.
The VAR officials deemed Haaland was played onside by Man Utd defender Patrick Dorgu. However, Man City's Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position as he attempted to play the ball before it reached Haaland.
Despite not touching the ball, Fernandez's movement appeared to impact the defending of Man Utd's Lisandro Martinez before Haaland's back-post finish, which by the laws of the game should have led to the goal remaining disallowed.
- Keane disagrees with Foden red card as pundits crticise Fernandes' role
- Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱
- Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream PL games with no contract📺
What did the officials say?
In their post on X explaining why the goal was awarded, the Premier League Match Centre wrote:
'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.'
That stress on Fernandez not playing the ball chimed with replays shown during the VAR review in which the VAR officials apparently sought to detect whether or not the City midfielder played the ball.
However, the offside rule clearly stipulates that a player can be offside despite not playing the ball and can interfere with an opponent by:
- preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or
- challenging an opponent for the ball or
- clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
- making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball
"They're the words that I think - emphatically - means we will see an apology from Pro Ref," said Neville.
"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."
Speaking on his podcast, Neville continued: "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."
United fume at 'injustice'
United boss Michael Carrick described the decision as "staggering" and added "the explanation almost makes it worse".
And Martinez told Sky Sports: "I want to be calm but it is so hard. Every season the officials come to our club and spend an hour explaining the rules and they look so confident with that.
"Then after, five or six people [the match officials] doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable. We have to go home with this injustice."
In the other camp, Man City head coach Enzo Maresca said of the incident: "I think Erling was onside and Enzo doesn't interfere with the action."
Richards: 'Goal award was a nonsense'
Former Man City defender Micah Richards dismissed Match Centre's explanation that the goal was awarded because Fernandez didn't touch the ball as a "nonsense".
Asked whether Fernandez was clearly attempting to play the ball, Richards told Sky Sports: "One hundred per cent he is.
"I think it's been a bad day for referees and VAR.
"They got the Phil Foden decision wrong, and they got this decision wrong.
"How you can not say Enzo Fernandez is challenging for the ball - of course he is!
"I've been in that position as a defender where any slight movement can make the difference for going for the ball or not, so of course it affects him.
"I just think they've got it so wrong."
Roy Keane concluded: "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."
