VAR Matt Donohue dropped from Premier League duty after Haaland goal error in Manchester derby

Matt Donohue has been stood down from this weekend’s Premier League fixtures after the video assistant referee made an “error of judgement” that allowed Erling Haaland’s goal to stand in Manchester City’s derby win at Old Trafford on Sunday. Assistant VAR Blake Antrobus has also been left without an appointment, though on-field referee Michael Oliver retains his assignment for Bournemouth vs Liverpool.

The controversy centred on Enzo Fernandez, who appeared to interfere with play from an offside position in the build-up to Haaland’s strike. On the pitch, the goal was initially ruled out for offside against Haaland, before a VAR review determined he had been played onside by Patrick Dorgu. However, Fernandez’s attempted header appeared to directly affect the reactions of United defender Lisandro Martinez and goalkeeper Senne Lammens — a level of involvement that satisfies the threshold for an offside offence.

Referees’ body Pro Ref acknowledged that Donohue should have advised on-field referee Michael Oliver to consult the pitchside monitor before confirming the decision. The organisation has since made contact with Manchester United over the matter.

Donohue made his top-flight refereeing debut in May 2024, having been promoted to the EFL’s assistant referees list in 2014, and has been used regularly as a VAR across the past two seasons.

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was scathing in his assessment. “I’m just so sick of this VAR, I think it’s horrendous,” Rooney said on Match of the Day 2. “It takes all the emotion off the game, the energy the game’s played with, and to not see that and recognise Fernandez is in an offside position… Anyone who’s played the game at any level understands that and knows that he’s in an offside position… to get it so wrong, it’s just baffling.”

Ex-referee Dermot Gallagher suggested the officials “lost focus”, explaining that they appeared to concentrate solely on whether Fernandez had touched the ball rather than the broader question of whether his presence constituted interference. “I think they’ve focused on one element of that law and that focus has diverted them away from the real thing,” Gallagher said.

Former Coventry and Cardiff forward Jay Bothroyd called for formal sanctions against the officials and argued that ex-players should be involved in VAR decision-making. Gallagher, however, indicated that consequences would be handled internally, noting that referees “beat themselves up” over mistakes without the need for external punishment.