The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) officials at the centre of the Manchester derby storm have suffered a major setback.
Manchester Derby Referee Error Costs VAR Pair Future United Fixtures
Matt Donohue and his assistant, Blake Antrobus, now face being blocked from officiating future Manchester United matches following a controversial decision at Old Trafford.
Manchester City secured a 1-0 victory, but the game’s defining moment arrived in the 60th minute.
Erling Haaland’s winner was initially flagged offside, but the VAR duo overturned the on-field call, ruling that Patrick Dorgu played him onside.
Pro Ref, the governing body for professional refereeing, later admitted this was a clear “error of judgement.”
The fallout was swift. The Premier League dropped Donohue from the list of match officials for Matchweek five.
Now, according to the Daily Mail, both he and Antrobus will be blocked from officiating any Manchester United games for the foreseeable future.
Pro Ref has also confirmed the pair will not referee any matches until at least after the international break.
This punishment follows another contentious moment in the same game. Manchester City’s Phil Foden received a red card for lashing out at Bruno Fernandes.
However, many, including Jamie Carragher, argued Fernandes escaped punishment for his role in the incident.
Carragher criticised Fernandes on Sky Sports, stating the United captain “rolled around” to get Foden sent off, calling his antics “really poor.”
While the officials face consequences, the result leaves Manchester United reflecting on a damaging defeat.
The controversial victory for City has ignited a fierce debate over officiating standards, with the VAR team now paying a heavy price for their critical error.
