Soccer-Pro Ref chief Webb says VAR 'tunnel vision' led to Manchester derby error

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - September 13, 2026 Manchester City's Erling Haaland scores their first goal REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Sept 15 (Reuters) - Pro Ref chief ⁠Howard Webb said "tunnel vision" led VAR officials to wrongly award Erling Haaland's goal ⁠in Sunday's Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

Haaland's second-half strike was initially ruled out ‌for offside before being allowed to stand following a VAR review that concluded the Manchester City forward was onside.

Pro Ref, the body responsible for refereeing in English professional football, later acknowledged the goal should not have ​been awarded because VAR failed to properly assess the ⁠involvement of teammate Enzo Fernandez, who ⁠attempted to play the ball from an offside position.

"I was really disappointed with this outcome. ⁠We ‌all are. None more so than the officials themselves," Webb, Pro Ref's chief refereeing officer, said on Match Officials Mic'd Up on Sky Sports and TNT ⁠Sports.

"They take a lot of personal pride in what they ​do, and they're obviously ‌hurting now having fallen short in this situation."

Webb confirmed that VAR Matt Donohue ⁠and assistant VAR ​Blake Antrobus would not officiate again until after the international break.

"We've reached out to Manchester United and acknowledged the error, as we do when these things happen," Webb said.

Explaining the decision-making process, Webb ⁠said the semi-automated offside system quickly established that ​Haaland was onside, but the VAR became overly focused on the striker's position and failed to fully consider Fernandez's influence on the play.

"But of course, when he then runs it back ⁠through the full APP, he doesn't truly evaluate the full impact of Fernandez's position," Webb said.

"He has a look to see if he touches the ball, because then that relates to potentially knocking it to Haaland, who goes on to score. He doesn't touch the ​ball, but he doesn't truly evaluate other elements of offside. ⁠In that moment, he gets tunnel vision."

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick criticised the decision after ​his side's 1-0 home defeat, their second loss in ‌four Premier League matches this season.

United next host ​Brighton in the League Cup on Wednesday before travelling to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)

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9 月 15 日（路透社）——职业裁判主管霍华德·韦伯表示，“隧道视野”导致视频助理裁判 (VAR) 官员错误地判罚埃尔林·哈兰德在周日老特拉福德球场举行的曼彻斯特德比中的进球有效。

哈兰德下半场的进球最初因越位被判无效，但在VAR审查后，判定这位曼城前锋没有越位，进球有效。

负责英格兰职业足球裁判的机构 Pro Ref 后来承认，这个进球不应该被判有效，因为 VAR 未能正确评估队友恩佐·费尔南德斯的参与情况，他试图从越位位置触球。

“我对这个结果非常失望。我们所有人都很失望。尤其是裁判们自己，”职业裁判协会首席裁判官韦伯在天空体育和TNT体育频道的《Match Officials Mic'd Up》节目中说道。

“他们对自己所做的工作感到非常自豪，现在因为这次失利而感到很沮丧。”

韦伯确认，视频助理裁判马特·多诺霍和助理视频助理裁判布莱克·安特罗布斯在国际比赛日之前不会再次执法。

韦伯说：“我们已经联系了曼联，并承认了错误，就像我们处理这类事情时一样。”

韦伯在解释决策过程时表示，半自动越位系统很快确定哈兰德没有越位，但视频助理裁判（VAR）过于关注前锋的位置，而没有充分考虑费尔南德斯对比赛的影响。

“但当然，当他随后通过完整的APP程序回放时，他并没有真正评估费尔南德斯位置的全部影响，”韦伯说。

“他会回头看看自己有没有碰到球，因为那样就有可能把球传给哈兰德，而哈兰德最终进球了。他没碰到球，但他并没有真正评估越位的其他因素。在那一刻，他的视线被局限住了。”

曼联主教练迈克尔·卡里克在球队主场0-1负于对手后批评了这一决定，这是他们本赛季英超联赛四场比赛中的第二场失利。

曼联接下来将于周三在联赛杯中主场迎战布莱顿，随后于周日在英超联赛中客场挑战富勒姆。

（卡兰·普拉尚特·萨克塞纳在班加罗尔报道，托比·戴维斯编辑）

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