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WAYNE ROONEY voiced his irritation, declaring he’s “sick” of the “horrendous” VAR following Manchester United’s controversial derby defeat to City.
The Red Devils faced a 1-0 loss against their rivals, who were down to ten men, with Erling Haaland’s questionable goal clinching the win.
The goal, initially flagged for offside, was allowed to stand after it was deemed that Haaland was onside, even though Enzo Fernandez had clearly interfered by being offside moments earlier.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick described the decision as “staggering,” and Gary Neville admitted he was “lost” by the officials’ logic.
After the match, Pro Ref acknowledged that their officials made a mistake in judgment.
On Match of the Day, former United captain Rooney condemned the “baffling” decision.
WRONG CALL
Ref bosses admit Erling Haaland winner in Manchester derby was a mistake
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Rooney, 40, commented: “I’m so sick of VAR; it’s horrendous. It drains all the emotion from the game and reduces the energy of play.
“To ignore that Enzo Fernandez is in an offside position is… anyone who has played football even at a basic level knows he is offside.
“Getting it this wrong is just baffling.”
Pro Ref’s statement noted: “The on-field decision indicated offside against Erling Haaland – this was confirmed by VAR, which found him onside.
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“During the same play, it was concluded that Enzo Fernandez did not touch the ball, making any offside judgment subjective; however, VAR should have recognized the potential impact of his position and advised an on-field review.
“We have reached out to Manchester United to acknowledge what we consider an error in judgment. A review of the incident will follow.”
In a post-match chat with Sky Sports, Carrick expressed, “I’m confused.
“We have protocols in place now, with officials monitoring these decisions from designated offices with all the screens available.
“I’m more concerned if this reflects the current interpretation of football.
“If this is how we interpret interference in the game now, it’s truly worrying. That explanation is absolutely STAGGERING.”
City played most of the match down a man after Phil Foden was dismissed in the 23rd minute.
Foden, 26, received a red card for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes, who appeared to have made contact first.
City’s manager Enzo Maresca voiced his displeasure regarding the decision, contending that both players should have been shown red cards.
However, Rooney believed that neither player warranted a red card.
The Match of the Day pundit added: “While I understand the reasoning for the red card, as a football fan, it’s disappointing to see such a decision.
“Phil Foden didn’t kick with any significant force; it was more of a slight brush with the side of his leg.
“He didn’t go in with studs aimed to cause harm. The sensible approach would have been two yellows.”
