STATUS: OFFICIAL — Officiating body Pro Ref admitted on the evening of September 13, 2026 that Erling Haaland’s Manchester derby winner should not have been allowed without an on-field review.
The 60th-minute goal was initially flagged for offside. VAR established that Haaland was onside, but did not treat Enzo Fernández as actively interfering even though he was in an offside position close to the play and affected Lisandro Martínez’s reaction.
In the clarification reported by The Guardian, Pro Ref said VAR failed to recognise the likely impact of Fernández’s position and should have recommended an on-field review to referee Michael Oliver. The body said it contacted Manchester United and would review the incident.
The admission does not change the official result. Manchester City remain 1–0 winners and the three points are not reopened. The new development is an institutional acknowledgement about the VAR process, not a cancellation of the match or goal in Premier League records.
SOURCE: The Guardian, September 13, 2026 — https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/13/michael-carrick-var-erling-haaland-manchester-derby
