Gary Neville has claimed that Manchester United can expect “an apology” from Pro Ref after Erling Haaland’s controversial winner in the Manchester derby.
Haaland scored the only goal of the game as he arrived at the back post to bundle past Senne Lammens in the 60th minute, and while the goal was originally disallowed for offside, it was overturned and awarded to the visitors after a lengthy VAR review.
There was confusion initially over whether Haaland himself was offside when Josko Gvardiol played the cross, though the Norwegian was eventually proved to be in an onside position. However, the positioning of Enzo Fernandez complicated things, with the Argentine having been offside before making an effort to head the ball before it arrived at the feet of Haaland.
Though Fernandez did not touch the ball himself, there was debate over whether he had interfered with play, though the goal was given.
“VAR checked the referee’s call of no goal for offside – and determined that Haaland was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded,” said the Premier League Match Centre in a post explaining the decision on X.
City – who were on the end of their own controversial decision after Phil Foden was sent off for kicking Bruno Fernandes in the first half – went on to win the game 1-0, maintaining their 100 percent winning record this season.
Neville insisted that referee Michael Oliver had got the decision for the goal wrong at the time, saying that “the officials will be nervous” and “will recognise they got this wrong”.
And he had not changed his opinion after full-time, with the former United defender insisting that his old club “will see an apology”.
“They're the words that I think – emphatically – means we will see an apology from Pro Ref," said Neville referring to the wording of the offside rule.
"There is no doubt that Enzo is attempting to play the ball and putting Lisandro Martinez off. It’s a really strange one. They’ll recognise they got that wrong,” he explained.
The wording of the offside rule states that a player is offside when interfering with an opponent by “preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision”, or “challenging an opponent for the ball”, as well as if a player is “clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent”.
Neville added that he expects a "massive inquest into the goal, which I think was wrongly given", having also admitted the goal left him so confused that he "needed the offside rule explained to me”.
Fellow pundit Micah Richards agreed, saying that the officials “have got it so wrong,” but adding that it should take nothing away from a solid City performance.
“I think it’s been a bad day for referees, I think it’s been a bad day for VAR,” he said.
“I think they got the Phil Foden decision wrong after 23 minutes and they got this decision wrong. How you can say Enzo Fernandez is not challenging…of course he is.
“I’ve been in that position as a defender where any slight movement can make the difference between going for the ball or not. Of course it affects him.
“I just think they got it so wrong, but that doesn’t take anything away from City’s performance. To go that long with 10 men is just incredible.
“We talked about fight, we talked about spirit, new manager, first derby, what have you got? They showed exactly what they are.”
Roy Keane, meanwhile, felt that United were “punished” for holding a strong line.
The win means Maresca’s side remain unbeaten this season, joining Arsenal on 12 points at the summit of the Premier League table.
They are in League Cup action against Norwich City on Thursday, with their final match before the international break coming at home to Sunderland on 20 September.
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