Manchester City fans have reacted to the admission that an “error of judgement” was made during Erling Haaland’s winning goal against Manchester United, but the response from supporters has been noticeably less dramatic than some might expect.
The controversy surrounded Haaland’s goal in the 60th minute of City’s victory at Old Trafford. The original on-field decision was offside, but VAR checked the incident and determined that Haaland was in an onside position.
However, the review did not end there.
The professional refereeing body acknowledged that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball in the relevant phase of the attack. That made the potential offside offence subjective, but the officials later accepted that VAR should have recognised the likely impact of Fernandez’s position and recommended an on-field review.
The admission has now prompted an official acknowledgement of an error of judgement.
BREAKING: Pro Ref have acknowledged “an error of judgement” in Erling Haaland’s winning goal vs Manchester United.
Statement: “Following the incident in the 60th minute of Sunday’s Premier League fixture between Manchester United and #ManCity at Old Trafford, we can provide…
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) September 13, 2026
Manchester City supporters, however, largely responded with amusement and indifference.
One fan simply said:
“nobody caress”
Another reaction was even more telling.
“Meaning??”
For City fans, the statement may have arrived too late to change anything. City won the derby, Haaland’s goal counted and the three points remained in the bag.
Pro Ref Admit Mistake Over Haaland’s Goal
The professional refereeing body confirmed that the original on-field decision was offside.
VAR subsequently checked the incident and found Haaland to be in an onside position.
That might normally have brought the controversy to an end.
Instead, the involvement of Fernandez created another layer to the situation.
According to the clarification, Fernandez did not play the ball. As a result, determining whether his position had an impact on the offside offence became subjective.
The key issue was not simply whether Haaland was onside.
It was whether Fernandez’s position should have influenced the decision and whether the VAR official should have recommended that the referee review the incident on the pitch.
The refereeing body ultimately concluded that this should have happened.
That is why the incident has now been described as an “error of judgement.”
The organisation also confirmed that Manchester United had been contacted to acknowledge the mistake and that the incident would be reviewed.
City Fans Are Not Losing Sleep Over It
Despite the official admission, the reaction from Manchester City supporters was surprisingly relaxed.
One fan responded:
“nobody caress”
The spelling may have been casual, but the message was clear.
For many City supporters, the most important fact is that the goal stood and City won the Manchester derby.
Another supporter appeared genuinely confused by the announcement, simply asking:
“Meaning??”
That reaction reflects the complicated nature of the refereeing statement.
The admission does not overturn the result.
It does not remove Haaland’s goal from the scoreline.
And it does not change the three points Manchester City collected.
Instead, it confirms that the officials believe they should have handled the incident differently.
“It Keeps Getting Better”
Perhaps the most enthusiastic reaction came from a supporter who wrote:
“It keeps getting better.”
That response captured the mood surrounding the controversy.
From a City perspective, the situation ultimately ended positively.
Haaland scored.
City won.
The goal was allowed to stand.
And now the refereeing body has acknowledged that the handling of the incident could have been better.
That combination makes it difficult for City supporters to be overly concerned.
The admission may generate plenty of debate among rival supporters, but City fans are unlikely to surrender the result because of it.
Why the Fernandez Factor Matters
The most complicated part of the incident involves Fernandez.
The clarification established that the Manchester City player did not play the ball during the relevant phase.
That matters because offside decisions are not always determined purely by the position of the attacking player.
An opponent’s actions and position can influence whether an offside offence has occurred, particularly when the question involves interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage.
In this case, the refereeing body acknowledged that the situation was subjective.
However, it also believed VAR should have recognised the likely impact of Fernandez’s position.
That distinction is important.
The issue was not simply that the referee got the basic offside line wrong.
VAR had already established that Haaland was in an onside position.
The criticism instead centred on the failure to recommend an on-field review because of the wider circumstances surrounding the attack.
Haaland’s Goal Remains the Talking Point
Regardless of the technical explanation, Haaland’s winning goal remains one of the defining moments of the Manchester derby.
The Norwegian striker was in the right place at the right time, and the goal ultimately decided the contest.
That makes the refereeing admission even more interesting.
Had City failed to win, the controversy would probably have received significantly more attention from supporters.
Instead, City took the points.
Haaland’s goal counted.
The final result remained unchanged.
That is why the fan reaction has been relatively relaxed.
“Alr Then, Rule It Off”
One supporter responded to the news with:
“Alr then, rule it off.”
The comment appears to capture the attitude of many City fans towards the controversy.
If the refereeing body has identified an error, supporters can acknowledge it without allowing it to overshadow the result.
There is also an element of sarcasm in the reaction.
The statement does not actually mean that the goal should be removed.
Instead, it highlights the reality that the match has already been played.
The decision has already been made.
The goal has already been awarded.
And the result has already been recorded.
VAR Remains Under the Microscope
The incident also raises another familiar question about VAR.
The technology exists to help referees make more accurate decisions.
But it still relies on human judgement.
In this case, the technology correctly established that Haaland was in an onside position.
The controversy instead arose because of how the wider incident was interpreted.
The refereeing body believes the VAR official should have recognised the likely impact of Fernandez’s position and recommended an on-field review.
That means the technology itself was not necessarily the problem.
The interpretation and decision-making process was.
This is precisely why VAR continues to generate debate across English football.
Even when the technology provides additional information, human judgement remains at the centre of the process.
City Supporters Have Bigger Things to Celebrate
For Manchester City fans, the biggest takeaway remains the victory.
The club secured a huge derby win.
Haaland found the decisive goal.
Anderson and other City players delivered performances that generated enormous excitement among supporters.
The team also demonstrated the competitive mentality expected under Maresca.
That context explains why the refereeing admission has not dominated the reaction.
The City supporters responding to the news appear far more interested in celebrating the victory than reopening the entire debate surrounding the goal.
One reaction simply consisted of a GIF.
Another was similarly brief.
The message from the fanbase is effectively: the result is already in the history books.
What the Official Admission Actually Changes
The admission does not change the Premier League table.
It does not remove Haaland’s goal.
It does not award Manchester United anything retrospectively.
Instead, it serves as an acknowledgement that the officiating process should have been handled differently.
That distinction is crucial.
Fans sometimes interpret refereeing apologies as meaning that a result will be changed.
That is not what has happened here.
The incident will be reviewed, while Manchester United have already been contacted about the acknowledgement.
For City, the practical outcome remains unchanged.
They won the derby.
Haaland and City Can Move On
Ultimately, this controversy is unlikely to alter Manchester City’s season.
Haaland’s goal stands.
The derby victory stands.
And the points remain City’s.
The official acknowledgement may provide fresh material for debate, but the Manchester City supporters reacting to the news have shown little interest in dwelling on it.
Their responses ranged from confusion to amusement.
“Meaning??”
“Alr then, rule it off.”
And perhaps most tellingly:
“It keeps getting better.”
For City fans, the controversy is just another chapter in a derby victory that already delivered everything they wanted.
The club beat Manchester United.
Haaland scored the winner.
And now the officials have admitted that the handling of the incident involved an “error of judgement.”
From the perspective of the City faithful, there is little reason to complain.
The goal counted.
The final whistle has gone.
And Manchester City have the three points.
