Neville Critiques VAR Over Haaland's Controversial Goal

Gary Neville has publicly criticized the VAR decision that permitted Erling Haaland's goal during Manchester City's 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Initially ruled offside by the on-field referee, VAR reversed the decision, claiming United defender Patrick Dorgu had kept Haaland onside.

The review focused on whether City midfielder Bruno Fernandez, who was in an offside position, made contact with the ball. VAR concluded he did not, leading to the goal being awarded.

Neville, speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports, argued that the Match Centre's explanation failed to address a crucial aspect of the offside rule, which states that a player can be penalized for offside without touching the ball if their movement interferes with an opponent. He contended that Fernandez's attempt to play the ball disrupted United defender Lisandro Martinez before Haaland scored.

Neville anticipates that Pro Ref will be compelled to apologize for the officiating error, highlighting ongoing concerns about VAR's consistency and transparency in the Premier League.