VAR Officials Removed After Haaland Goal Controversy

Matt Donohue, the video assistant referee at the centre of the controversial Erling Haaland goal in the Manchester derby, has been stood down from Premier League duty this weekend.

Assistant VAR Blake Antrobus has also been removed from the schedule after Pro Ref, English football’s refereeing body, admitted an “error of judgement” in the handling of the only goal in Manchester City’s win at Old Trafford.

VAR duo taken out of the firing line

Donohue, 37, was the lead VAR when Haaland’s strike was allowed to stand, overturning an on-field offside decision. He has not been appointed to any of next weekend’s Premier League fixtures, the first round of league matches this season in which he will play no part.

He had previously worked VAR on Brighton & Hove Albion’s opening-day win over Aston Villa, Sunderland’s victory against Fulham and Newcastle United’s draw with Bournemouth. He is also not involved in this week’s Carabao Cup ties.

The call to remove Donohue and Antrobus was made by chief refereeing officer Howard Webb and Pro Ref’s management team. The decision means neither official will be back on duty until at least after the upcoming international break.

How the Haaland decision unravelled

Haaland’s goal was initially ruled out for offside. The Norwegian appeared beyond Manchester United full-back Patrick Dorgu when the cross was delivered, while Enzo Fernandez was also in an offside position as he lunged towards the ball.

On the field, that combination was enough for the flag and a disallowed goal. In the VAR room, it went the other way.

After a review, VAR advised that Haaland was actually onside and that Fernandez, despite his position, had not played the ball. The decision was flipped, and the goal stood.

On Sunday evening, a Pro Ref spokesperson accepted that the VAR “did not recognise the likely impact of his (Fernandez’s) position and should have recommended an on-field review”.

The organisation followed up with a formal statement: “Contact has been made with Manchester United to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgement. A review of the incident will take place.”

Law, interpretation – and the space Haaland needed

Premier League rules are clear on one key point: “a player will be penalised if they are clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent”.

Fernandez, in that moment, was being tracked by Lisandro Martinez. The United defender’s attention on the midfielder left Haaland unmarked at the back post, free to score.

During the game, the Premier League match centre explained the decision in real time: “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.”

Now, with Donohue and Antrobus taken off the next round of fixtures and a formal review under way, the question lingers: how quickly can Pro Ref restore trust in a system that keeps finding itself at the heart of the story?