Webb admits VAR missed offside in Haaland derby winner
Manchester City's derby winner at Old Trafford should never have stood.
Referees' chief Howard Webb has admitted video officials missed an offside offence by Enzo Fernandez in the build-up to Erling Haaland's decisive goal against Manchester United on Sunday. Webb said the goal should have been disallowed BBC Sport.
Haaland struck in the 60th minute. Josko Gvardiol crossed from the left. The flag went up on the field for offside. Then VAR stepped in.
Semi-automated offside technology, the camera-tracking system that judges tight calls, told the VAR room Haaland was three centimetres onside. The goal was given. City took the derby.
The problem was what happened just before the finish. Fernandez dived to meet the cross in a central position while in an offside position. He tried to play the ball before it reached Haaland Sky Sports. A separate angle, not shown in the live broadcast, later made Fernandez's position clearer.
Under the law, that is enough. A player in an offside position who attempts to play the ball and interferes with opponents can be penalised even without touching it. Webb said officials failed to spot Fernandez interfering.
Instead the VAR check narrowed too far. Audio from the review said that because Fernandez did not play the ball, any offside was subjective. Officials only looked for a touch that would start a new phase of play, rather than judging the dive itself.
Webb said he was "really disappointed" with VAR Matt Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus. He revealed he had spoken to United and shared the audio and video with the club. Neither official will take charge of a game again until after the international break.
On the same show, the first Match Officials Mic'd Up of the season, Webb backed another big decision. He supported the 23rd-minute red card for City's Phil Foden for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes. Webb said Fernandes's own kick at Foden did not reach the threshold for violent conduct and would have been a yellow.
What makes this stand out is the stage. A derby lives long in the memory. One goal decides the bragging rights across a city. To hear afterwards that it should not have counted will sting United supporters and leave City fans with a strange feeling about a derby win.
