Video assistant referee Matt Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus have been omitted from the list of officials appointed for this weekend’s Premier League matches. This decision, led by chief refereeing officer Howard Webb and the Pro Ref management team, comes directly after the governing body admitted to an error of judgement regarding the match-winning goal in Sunday’s Manchester derby.
Erling Haaland secured a 1-0 victory for 10-man Manchester City at Old Trafford, netting the decisive strike in the 60th minute from a Josko Gvardiol delivery. Although the on-field decision initially flagged the effort as offside, VAR intervened to overturn the call, suggesting that Patrick Dorgu’s boot had kept the Norwegian striker onside. The result ensured Manchester City maintained a perfect record, having won all four of their league matches this season, despite Phil Foden receiving a red card in the 23rd minute.
The goal sparked significant controversy due to the position of City midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who was offside as he lunged to head the ball immediately before Haaland scored. Pro Ref issued a statement explaining that their review established Fernandez did not touch the ball, classifying any potential offside offence as subjective rather than an objective error. Nevertheless, the decision to exclude Donohue and Antrobus from the next round of fixtures signals the organization’s acknowledgment of a critical lapse in the officiating process during the high-stakes encounter. The report also notes that city, who had Phil Foden sent off after 23 minutes, maintained their 100% league record from four games with the victory.
