Costly blunder! VAR officials in Manchester derby stood down after major controversy

A high-profile refereeing error in the Manchester derby has brought immediate and severe disciplinary consequences.

Details: According to reports, VAR referee Matt Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus have been stood down from Premier League officiating duties following a major blunder during the Manchester derby. The officiating duo will not take charge of any top-flight matches at least until the winter break due to a crucial mistake in allowing Manchester City's winning goal to stand against Manchester United.

The controversy erupted when Erling Haaland scored a decisive goal for Manchester City. Although semi-automated technology cleared Haaland of an initial offside, the VAR failed to penalize Enzo Fernández, who was in an active offside position and interfered with defender Lisandro Martínez.

Professional Game Match Officials Limited (Pro Ref) acknowledged the serious error in judgment, leading referee chief Howard Webb to remove Donohue and Antrobus from upcoming weekend appointments as scrutiny over video assistant referee decisions intensifies.

It is worth noting that Matt Donohue has been a professional EFL referee since 2018 and completed the organization's enhanced VAR training program before taking on top-flight video assistant duties.

Reminder: Questions answered. VAR publishes proof that Haaland's goal was legitimate