VAR officials stood down after Manchester derby goal error

The video assistant referee officials responsible for a controversial goal in the Manchester derby have been stood down from Premier League duty for the upcoming weekend. Matt Donohue, the VAR, and his assistant, Blake Antrobus, will not officiate any matches until at least after the international break, according to a statement from the refereeing body Pro Ref. The decision was taken by Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb and the management team following a review of the incident during Manchester City's 1-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday. Pro Ref acknowledged an error of judgment in allowing Erling Haaland's winning goal to stand. During the match, on-field referee Michael Oliver initially disallowed Haaland's 60th-minute strike for offside. Donohue, using semi-automated offside technology, overturned the call, determining Haaland was onside. However, Pro Ref stated the VAR failed to recognize the likely impact of teammate Enzo Fernandez, who attempted to play the ball from an offside position. The refereeing body said this infringement should have led Donohue to recommend an onfield review.