VAR Missed Fernandez Offside in Manchester Derby, Says Howard Webb
· Sports · BBC Sport
Referees' chief Howard Webb admitted that the video assistant referee failed to assess an offside offence by Enzo Fernandez during the Manchester derby. The incident occurred in the 60th minute when Erling Haaland thought he had scored the opening goal at Old Trafford, which was initially disallowed before being awarded. Replays showed video officials suffered from tunnel vision as they focused exclusively on Haaland, missing Fernandez interfering with opponents in a central position. Webb expressed deep disappointment with the error and confirmed that the VAR Matt Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus will not officiate again until after the international break. Webb has already shared the VAR audio and video with Manchester United to explain the oversight.
Why it matters
This high-profile VAR failure exposes critical officiating blind spots in the Premier League, directly impacting a major derby match and sidelining key match officials during a crucial point in the season.
Read the original report — BBC Sport
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