Howard Webb to address VAR blunder that handed Manchester City derby win

Howard Webb, chief of referees’ body Pro Ref, will face the cameras on Tuesday night to explain the VAR mistake that gave Manchester City a controversial 3-point haul from Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford.

Erling Haaland’s second-half strike was initially disallowed before VAR official Matt Donohue advised referee Michael Oliver to reverse the decision. The goal stood — but Pro Ref subsequently acknowledged it should not have. The body admitted that “VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his [Enzo Fernandez’s] position and should have recommended an on-field review,” adding that contact was made with Manchester United that evening to acknowledge “an error of judgment.”

The Premier League Match Centre had defended the original call on social media, stating that VAR “deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn’t play the ball.” Pro Ref’s later admission directly contradicted that framing, arguing Fernandez’s attempt to play the ball — regardless of whether he made contact — was sufficient to warrant further scrutiny.

Webb will address the incident in the opening edition of this season’s Match Officials Mic’d Up programme, walking through how the decision was ultimately reached. Both Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus have been stood down from this weekend’s fixtures following the error.

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez, who was directly affected by Fernandez’s offside position, called the outcome an “injustice.” Interim manager Michael Carrick said he was “confused” by the decision after suffering only his second defeat in charge at Old Trafford. The result leaves United with four points from four Premier League games, compounding a difficult start to the season.