Dropped! VAR officials axed for next round of Premier League fixtures after Pro Ref admit error of judgement over controversial Erling Haaland goal in Manchester derby

Matt Donohue, the lead video assistant referee who oversaw the process that incorrectly allowed Haaland’s winning goal in the Manchester derby, has not been selected to officiate in the Premier League this coming weekend, nor will he be involved in this midweek round of Carabao Cup action. Assistant VAR Blake Antrobus will also not be involved, marking a significant disciplinary step by the refereeing body following a weekend dominated by officiating debates.

Following the match, Pro Ref confirmed that an 'error of judgement' had occurred during the VAR review for the game's decisive goal in Manchester City's victory over Manchester United. The 37-year-old Donohue had been a constant presence in the VAR hub this season, having previously officiated video reviews for Brighton's opening-day win against Aston Villa and Newcastle's draw with Bournemouth.

The decision to stand down both officials was taken directly by Pro Ref’s chief refereeing officer Howard Webb alongside his executive team, ensuring neither official will feature in the top flight until after the upcoming international break. The fury surrounds a crucial moment at Old Trafford where Haaland’s goal was initially ruled out on the pitch for offside, with the Norwegian positioned ahead of Patrick Dorgu while Enzo Fernandez lunged towards the cross from an offside mark.

However, the VAR unit chose to overrule the linesman's flag and validate the goal. The error was later acknowledged by a Pro Ref spokesperson on Sunday evening, who conceded that the video referee 'did not recognise the likely impact of his (Fernandez's) position and should have recommended an on-field review.'

In an effort to maintain transparency, the officiating body directly contacted Manchester United to address the costly error. Pro Ref confirmed: '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.'

Under Premier League rules, 'a player will be penalised if they are clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent.' In this instance, Fernandez was being marked by Lisandro Martinez, who had dropped off to cover the threat, ultimately leaving Haaland completely unattended at the back post.

The confusion was amplified by the real-time explanations provided by the league during the contest. During the match, the Premier League match centre said: '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.'