The 2026-27 Premier League season is less than a month old, yet the focus has shifted away from spectacular goals and athletic saves toward the contentious use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology. The latest flashpoint occurred during the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, where a goal by Erling Haaland in the 60th minute secured a victory for Manchester City, despite the team playing with ten men.
Initially, the linesman raised a flag for offside against Haaland. However, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned. The Premier League Match Centre clarified that officials determined Haaland was in an onside position and that City teammate Enzo Fernandez, despite being in an offside position, did not interfere with play. This conclusion sparked significant backlash from fans and former players alike.
Official Response and Review Details
- Professional Game Referees (Pro Ref) admission: The body acknowledged the decision to allow Haaland’s goal was an error of judgment.
- Specific oversight: VAR failed to recognize the impact of Fernandez, who attempted to head the ball while positioned offside.
- Communication: The organization contacted Manchester United to formally acknowledge the mistake and confirmed a review of the incident is underway.
- On-field vs. VAR: While the on-field decision was initially offside, the review process incorrectly concluded Haaland was onside.
The fallout was immediate. Former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, appearing on the BBC’s Match of the Day, blasted the technology as “horrendous” and argued that anyone who has played the sport understands the incident was clearly offside. Rooney expressed deep frustration, stating the reliance on such technology strips the game of its natural emotion and results in “baffling” errors.
The Scope of VAR Criticism
- Fan sentiment: A survey of nearly 8,000 top-flight club supporters revealed that 75.7 percent oppose VAR, with 91.7 percent claiming it ruins the joy of celebrating goals.
- Arsenal grievances: Manager Mikel Arteta criticized the lack of VAR intervention during a 2-0 win over Sunderland, where a disputed penalty was awarded against Ezri Konsa.
- Previous controversies: Questions were previously raised regarding Harry Maguire’s goal against Ipswich Town, which stood despite appearing to strike the defender’s arm, and rulings in other matches that managers labeled unacceptable.
Despite the widespread calls for reform or the abandonment of video technology, the Premier League has indicated that VAR is here to stay. Developed by FIFA and introduced in the 2018-19 season, the system is designed to review goals, red cards, penalties, and mistaken identity. It currently operates across more than 300 global competitions, and there are no plans to discontinue its use for the remainder of the ongoing Premier League season.
For many, the technology has become far too dominant in the flow of the game. Critics argue that instead of serving as a supportive tool for correcting clear and obvious mistakes, the system has become a source of profound frustration. As the season progresses, the pressure on governing bodies to address these systemic failures and ensure accountability for officiating mistakes continues to mount. The report also notes that one of the biggest games in club football, the conversation is not dominated by the teams’ performances or players’ individual brilliance but by a controversial refereeing decision that allowed a seemingly offside goal to be overturned, the day after the Premier League’s Manchester derby. The report also notes that more importantly, bragging rights over their rivals, erling Haaland’s controversially awarded goal for Manchester City in Sunday’s derby at Manchester United bagged his team three vital points and. The report also notes that the result left thousands in the red half of Manchester feeling cheated and the plot thickened later in the day when the refereeing body revealed that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) made the wrong call. The report also notes that instead, VAR is the most hotly contested debate among fans, experts and managers who feel hard done by the use of technology. The report also notes that so how did we get here and what’s the fuss about VAR in the modern game. The report also notes that but has instead become a sour topic in football circles, it was intended to be a combination of human expertise and technological accuracy. The report also notes that the VAR technology relies on video replays and reviews decisions related to four categories: goals, penalty decisions, direct red card incidents and mistaken identity, first used in 2018-19.
