The Premier League has reportedly written to its clubs describing the VAR error that decided the Manchester derby as “significant”.
The Times reports that the league highlighted the mistake ahead of this week’s shareholders’ meeting, bringing the incident formally to the attention of all Premier League clubs.
Erling Haaland scored the only goal as Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0 on 13 September.
The goal was allowed to stand despite Enzo Fernández interfering with play from an offside position.
Pro Ref chief Howard Webb subsequently confirmed that the goal should have been disallowed.
Speaking on the Premier League’s Match Officials Mic’d Up programme, Webb said Fernández’s position and actions affected the ability of United’s defenders to play the ball.
VAR Matt Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus failed to intervene.
Both officials were subsequently stood down until after the international break.
The Premier League also released the officials’ audio from the incident as Webb publicly explained why the decision was incorrect.
The latest development takes the matter beyond the initial acknowledgement of the refereeing mistake.
According to The Times, the Premier League has now described the error as “significant” in correspondence sent to its clubs ahead of the shareholders’ meeting.
The report says the wording leaves open the possibility of further repercussions arising from the incident.
No further action has yet been confirmed.
For United, the significance of the mistake is heightened by the result.
Haaland’s goal was the only goal of the match, meaning the incorrect VAR decision directly affected a Manchester derby that finished 1-0.
United cannot recover the points lost as a result of the decision.
The issue now concerns how the Premier League and its refereeing operation respond to an error the league has reportedly chosen to highlight formally to all of its clubs.
