Webb Admits VAR 'Tunnel Vision' Cost Man United in Derby Controversy

Howard Webb isn't sugarcoating it. The Professional Referees Organisation chief has come out and admitted that VAR made a serious, match-defining error during the Manchester derby — and the fallout is significant.

What Went Wrong

According to Sky Sports, VAR officials initially reviewed the goal because Erling Haaland had been flagged offside on the field. Once the check confirmed Haaland was actually onside — by just three centimetres — the VAR team moved to declare the goal valid and overturned the on-field decision.

The problem? Enzo Fernandez was standing in an offside position and clearly impacted Manchester United's defensive shape as the move developed. Fernandez lunged toward the ball before Haaland slotted it home, preventing Lisandro Martinez from making a clearance and disrupting goalkeeper Senne Lammens in the process. He didn't touch the ball — but that's not the full extent of the offside law.

Webb's Verdict

Webb described the officials as suffering from "tunnel vision" — so locked in on confirming Haaland's position that they failed to run a proper evaluation of Fernandez's involvement in the move.

"The VAR gets super focused on Haaland," Webb said on Mic'd Up. "He establishes he is onside but when he runs it through the full attacking possession phase, he doesn't truly evaluate the full impact of Fernandez."

He added that it was the responsibility of the wider VAR team to catch the oversight — and on this occasion, nobody did. Webb confirmed the officials involved will not take charge of any matches until after the international break.

A Clear Rule, A Costly Miss

The crux of the mistake is surprisingly straightforward. A player can be penalised for offside without directly touching the ball — as long as they interfere with an opponent. Fernandez's dive toward the ball did exactly that, limiting Martinez's ability to challenge and altering Lammens' positioning ahead of the decisive moment.

The VAR audio confirms the team noted "no touch" by Fernandez and moved on — never circling back to ask whether his presence and movement had affected the United defence. It's a glaring gap in the review process that lasted nearly three minutes and still produced the wrong result.

[Haaland's ability to generate controversy is nothing new — even away from club football he commands attention](/ article/haaland-benched-as-norway-rest-stars-vs-france), but this situation goes well beyond the striker himself.

United Left With an Apology, Not a Result

Webb confirmed Pro Ref reached out to Manchester United to acknowledge the error and shared the audio and footage with the club so they understood exactly what happened — and what didn't. It's the right move in terms of transparency, but it doesn't change the three points that shifted hands at the Etihad.

Webb was candid about the personal toll on the officials, noting they "are hurting" and that mistakes of this scale are rare. But rare doesn't mean acceptable when the stakes are this high.

[Debates around top striker performances and how they're judged never get old in football circles](/ article/carragher-haaland-s-talent-can-t-outshine-kane-s-versatility), and this saga adds another layer to how goals — and the systems meant to verify them — shape the sport's biggest moments.

What Happens Next

Webb says a full review of the VAR process in this incident is underway. The goal is to pinpoint exactly where the system broke down so it doesn't happen again. That's necessary, but it's cold comfort for a United side who lost the derby on a goal that, under a correct application of the laws, should never have stood.

For [Haaland](/ article/haaland-shines-with-two-goals-in-man-city-s-win-over-porto), the goal stands in the record books regardless. The debate it's sparked about whether VAR is actually delivering on its core promise — getting the big calls right — is going to take a lot longer to settle.

Related on Ni4o: Haaland Benched as Norway Rest Stars in Loss to France · Haaland Brace Sends Norway Past Senegal Into Knockouts · Haaland Nets Two More as Norway Stun Brazil to Reach World Cup QFs