Competitions · Europe

Refereeing body admits error in Haaland derby winner against Manchester United

Pro Ref has acknowledged a misjudgement in awarding Erling Haaland's decisive goal during Manchester City's victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

ReportedNews·2026-09-14·3 min

Written by GFR African Desk · AR001046

Manchester City secured a victory against rivals Manchester United in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, despite playing with ten men for over 70 minutes following a red card for Phil Foden. Erling Haaland scored the winning goal for the visiting side in the high-stakes encounter.

Refereeing admission following derby winner

The outcome of the match has been overshadowed by controversy surrounding Haaland's decisive strike. According to reports from BBC Sport, Premier League refereeing body Pro Ref has admitted an error of judgement in allowing the goal to stand.

Further technical details regarding the specific nature of the officiating misjudgement have not been elaborated in the initial reports, leaving the precise context of the decision unconfirmed beyond the stated admission.

Fan protests and historic low for United

The match took place against a backdrop of fan discontent at Old Trafford. Manchester United supporters conducted protests both inside and outside the stadium prior to Sunday's kickoff.

The resulting defeat further compounds Manchester United's difficult opening to the campaign, leaving the team tied for their joint-worst start to a season since 1992.

Sources

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