Carrick backs VAR despite offside blunder that cost United
In the dying minutes at Old Trafford, Manchester City clinched a 1‑0 win after Erling Haaland struck, but the decisive moment was the VAR’s failure to flag midfielder Enzo Fernandez in an off‑side position, a clear interference that should have nullified the goal.
Apology and official response
The referee’s body Pro Ref issued a formal apology to United within three hours of the final whistle, acknowledging the mistake that directly contributed to the 1‑0 defeat. In the statement, Pro Ref said it regretted the failure to intervene on the off‑side infringement and pledged to review the incident. The swift response was intended to reassure the Red side and the Man side that the governing body takes such errors seriously.
Both VAR official Matt Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus were omitted from the match‑official roster for the weekend’s fixtures after the controversy. Their exclusion follows intense criticism that they concentrated on a potential off‑side involving Erling Haaland and completely missed Enzo Fernandez’s clear involvement. The decision underscores the pressure on officials to get the fundamentals right in high‑stakes derbies.
Referees’ chief Howard Webb, who has been under fire for overall officiating standards, described himself as ‘really disappointed’ with the outcome of the Manchester derby. He explained that the officiating team was too focused on Haaland’s position to assess Fernandez’s location, a lapse he called unacceptable. Webb has since spoken directly to United’s staff in an effort to improve accountability and prevent a repeat.
Carrick's view on VAR
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick was visibly livid after the match, branding the VAR call a ‘worrying’ interpretation of the laws. When asked ahead of United’s Premier League trip to Fulham on Sunday, he reiterated his belief in the technology, noting, ‘One‑off things can happen… I’ve got faith in it, it’s the system we work towards and that we use.’ The coach also stressed that occasional errors are inevitable but should not define the entire system.
Carrick added that the apology from Pro Ref ‘doesn’t mean an awful lot’, acknowledging that officials can admit fault yet the impact of this particular decision was massive. He argued that while clubs may experience one or two decisions that swing on the law of averages, this incident was especially damaging. ‘We just have to deal with it,’ he said, emphasizing the need to move forward without over‑reacting.
Yoro's United future
United’s 20‑year‑old centre‑back Leny Yoro has logged 69 appearances for the club, including 55 Premier League games of which 25 were as a substitute. Signed from Lille in July 2024 for a £52.2 million fee, he arrived as an 18‑year‑old and was linked with Real Madrid, Paris Saint‑Germain and Liverpool, but his development has yet to match the investment. This season his only Premier League starts have come against Sabah FK in the Champions League and Brighton, where his positioning attracted criticism.
In the Brighton match, the visitors became the first side to win at Old Trafford after trailing by two goals for over 50 years, a historic comeback that further highlighted Yoro’s limited impact. Despite the scrutiny, Carrick defended the youngster, stating, ‘I’ve got no worries for Leny… he’s got a fantastic future ahead of him and there’s no cut‑off point.’ He warned against knee‑jerk decisions based on a single performance, insisting that belief in Yoro remains strong.