Online Reporter
IT was the VAR decision that left the whole of football perplexed.
When Erling Haaland netted from close range in the Manchester derby, the flag seemed a simple and correct decision.
Nearly three minutes later, to disbelief inside and outside Old Trafford, the goal was awarded.
Sun Sport explains how it all transpired:
5.47pm: Erling Haaland gets on the end of Josko Gvardiol’s deflected cross to turn the ball past Senne Lammens but even as he turned away towards the travelling Manchester City fans, the flag was raised, with referee Michael Oliver signalling a free-kick and confirmed to VAR Matt Donohue: “The on-field decision is offside, Erling Haaland.”
Donohue and the video team at Stockley Park begin the checks, with the expectation that the offside call would be confirmed, with the replay operator rolling back the tape.
5.48pm: As Matt Donohue looks at the replay images from the side-on camera it becomes clear that the call is closer than it had initially seemed, especially as the 18-yard camera at Old Trafford is offset from the straight line.
Hawkeye replay operators confirm the decision is tight, meaning Donohue and his colleagues turn to the Semi-Automated Offside Technology tracking cameras supplied by Genius Sports – who sit in an adjacent booth. The cameras track thousands of data points per players every second.
When SAOT suggests Erling Haaland was fractionally onside – although not within the 5cm “tolerance” zone used to give attackers an advantage – Donohue and his assistant still need to check the calibration and kick point of Josko Gvardiol’s cross are accurate.
Haaland, it is confirmed, was onside, with the computerised animated illustration to explain the decision now being generated.
5.49pm: With Michael Oliver explaining to the players of both sides that the check is continuing – amid moans from fans about the delay in confirming an “obvious” call – Matt Donohue’s attention turns to Enzo Fernandez in the middle of the goal. It appears that Donohue’s sole focus, while accepting Fernandez was in an offside position, was whether he touched the ball with his diving header.
Once again, SAOT is used, determining that there was no contact – which would have meant Erling Haaland was ALSO offside when he turned the ball home.
But this was where it all went wrong.
Donohue needed to also look at the wider context of Fernandez’s action, which saw Lisandro Martinez drawn towards him and keeper Senne Lammens unable to react until the ball had gone past the Manchester City midfielder.
At that point, he should have told Oliver that while Haaland was onside, it was felt that Fernandez was “interfering” with the Manchester United defender and keeper and that the referee was being advised to visit the pitchside monitor with a recommendation of ruling a “subjective” offside and no goal. 5.50pm: Instead, Michael Oliver was merely told that there was no offside offence, and “you can award the goal”. Cue Manchester City joy and Manchester United fury.
5.51pm: Soon after the final decision, it was clear to Pro Ref chiefs at Stockley Park that a huge mistake had been made. But with Manchester United having kicked off, there was now nothing anyone could do to change the error – Sun.
