The video assistant referee team responsible for validating Erling Haaland’s decisive goal in Sunday’s Manchester derby has been stood down from officiating duties this coming weekend. Matt Donohue and his assistant, Blake Antrobus, were informed by Pro Ref that they will not receive appointments for the upcoming round of Premier League fixtures after an internal review of the match-day action led by chief refereeing officer Howard Webb.
The controversy stems from the 60th-minute goal scored by the Manchester City striker. While Donohue utilized semi-automated offside technology to correctly identify that Haaland was onside, he failed to detect that teammate Enzo Fernández was interfering with play from an offside position. Pro Ref confirmed that this oversight should have triggered an on-field review by referee Michael Oliver, acknowledging the incident as an “error of judgment” and subsequently contacting Manchester United to offer an explanation.
This disciplinary action marks the first time match officials have been sidelined for a performance error during the current season. Donohue, who has served as an EFL referee since 2018 and completed the “Enhanced VAR Training Programme,” will have his status for future matches reconsidered following the international break. His colleague, Antrobus, an established Premier League assistant referee who officiated the opening three matchdays, is also affected by the suspension.
Pro Ref stated that the decision to stand the pair down was made in consultation with management, emphasizing the need for consistency in applying the laws of the game. Despite having experience in both Championship matches and top-flight VAR roles, the officials will remain unavailable for selection until their review process concludes after the upcoming break in the schedule. The report also notes that download it from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for ”, if you don’t have app. The report also notes that in app, tap the Profile settings button at the top right, then select Notifications. The report also notes that make sure you’re on the most recent version, if you already have app.
