A chaotic and hurried video review process was at the heart of the controversial goal that decided the Manchester derby, according to details emerging from inside the video assistant referee (VAR) operation on the day.
Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0 courtesy of an Erling Haaland strike that should not have stood, after Enzo Fernandez was found to be three yards offside in the buildup when he attempted to head the ball. Video assistant referee Matt Donohue and his assistant, Blake Antrobus, failed to spot the infringement, in what has been described as one of the most significant VAR blunders since the technology's introduction to the Premier League.
Audio from the review reportedly captured Donohue urging his team to move quickly through the process, repeatedly saying "Quick, quick, quick, quick! Go, go, go, go, go!" as he pushed to reach a decision. The exchange has been characterized as panicked rather than methodical, raising questions about whether pressure to speed up VAR checks contributed to the oversight.
The Premier League has made faster VAR decisions a priority this season, responding to widespread complaints from fans, pundits, and clubs about delays disrupting matches. A stakeholder survey involving managers, coaches, and supporters identified decision speed as the primary area for improvement. Season-on-season figures show average VAR delays have dropped from 46 seconds to 36 seconds per match, suggesting the push for efficiency has yielded measurable results — until Sunday's error exposed its risks.
According to reports, the fundamental mistake occurred early in the review process. Donohue reportedly instructed the replay operator to freeze the footage at the moment Josko Gvardiol touched the ball before crossing, then moved straight to checking semi-automated offside technology. This skipped a full assessment of the entire attacking sequence, from the cross being played to Haaland's header, which would have flagged Fernandez's offside position and his impact on the play.
Antrobus, tasked with providing oversight as assistant VAR, contributed only a brief, ambiguous remark — "no, yeah" — regarding whether Fernandez touched the ball, moments before Donohue confirmed the goal as the final decision. A support VAR stationed at the operations hub, who holds authority to intervene on procedural matters, also did not step in despite being aware of how the review was unfolding.
City manager Enzo Maresca, whose side benefited from the decision, offered a measured response when addressing the incident on Wednesday.