Gary Neville was baffled by the decision from VAR in which Manchester United conceded a controversial goal by Erling Haaland
Gary Neville was puzzled by the decision that allowed Manchester City’s opener from Erling Haaland to stand, despite the striker appearing offside. The linesman initially raised his flag to deny 10‑man City, but VAR reviewed the incident and instructed Michael Oliver to award the goal.
As the check was ongoing, Neville expressed his disbelief, with every still image suggesting Haaland was behind the last defender. He told Sky Sports: “I’m going to need the offside law explaining to me, it’s lost me.”
When the goal was awarded, Neville added: “He’s (Noel Gallagher), not looking back in anger anymore it’ll need an official to explain why it’s not offside, it’s to do with Enzo Fernandez’s shot. The shots come in, he’s offside. I don’t know.”
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At first, it wasn’t clear why the goal was allowed to stand, with Haaland appearing to be offside when Josko Gvardiol delivered the cross into the box.
Neville then questioned: “The question is, does Enzo Fernandez put off Lisandro Martinez? I think he does because he (Martinez) sort of hesitates. I do think whenthey look back, they’ll recognise they got it wrong.”
The Premier League Match Centre explained on X: “VAR checked the referee’s call of no goal for offside and determined that Haaland was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded. The VAR also deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn’t play the ball.”
However, Dorgu’s outstretched foot appeared to be the only thing keeping Haaland onside, with Neville confirming that this was why VAR allowed the goal to stand.
“Well VAR looked at this for a long, long time. They say Haaland’s onside from (Patrick) Dorgu’s foot, from where we were didn’t look the case but Dorgu’s foot is deeper and Haaland is onside,” the former Reds captain explained.
“Enzo, who is offside, it’s whether he impacts Lisandro Martinez, you could argue he does. What I will say is, something doesn’t feel right about the goal being given but it’s 2026 and VAR does confuse us quite often.”
Haaland, his team‑mates and the away end then erupted in celebration as the offside was overturned. City had been down to ten men since the 23rd minute, when Phil Foden was sent off for kicking Bruno Fernandes in the stomach.
Fernandes appeared to kick Foden while he was on the ground, but it was the City star’s reaction that saw him dismissed for violent conduct.
United were unable to overturn the deficit and suffered a 1-0 defeat in the derby, courtesy of Haaland’s goal on the hour.