THE PREMIER LEAGUE’S VIDEO REFEREEING SYSTEM IS UNDER FIRE AGAIN!
Two VAR officials have been left counting the cost of a controversial decision that helped Manchester City secure victory over Manchester United in the Manchester derby.
VAR official Matt Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus have been stood down from Premier League duty following the disputed decision involving Erling Haaland’s goal.
Haaland’s effort initially appeared to have been ruled out for offside. VAR intervened and the goal was eventually allowed to stand.
But the controversy did not end there.
The Premier League’s refereeing body, PGMOL, acknowledged that the VAR team should have considered whether Manchester City midfielder Enzo Fernández, who was in an offside position, had interfered with play.
The officials should have recommended that referee Michael Oliver review the incident on the pitch.
That did not happen.
Manchester City went on to win the derby 1-0, leaving United supporters furious and reigniting the debate over VAR and the role of human judgment in football.
PGMOL subsequently confirmed that the decision was an error of judgment and that Manchester United had been informed.
Donohue and Antrobus have now been left out of the officials selected for the next Premier League round. Their return to duty will be considered after the international break.
The incident has once again raised uncomfortable questions about VAR.
Technology is supposed to help referees get the big decisions right. When a major decision is later judged to have been wrong, however, the officials operating the technology quickly find themselves in the spotlight.
For United, the decision will remain a painful part of the derby story.
For the two VAR officials, the consequences have already arrived.
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