VAR official behind the derby error returns to the Premier League

Matt Donohue, who made the wrong VAR call in the derby in which Manchester City beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in September, is returning to the Premier League. Donohue will work as assistant VAR in the match between Coventry and Fulham on Saturday.

Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus failed to spot the offside position of City midfielder Enzo Fernandez and his impact on play in the match on 13 September. Donohue did not take part in any Premier League match for three weeks after the incident. During that time he worked in the EFL, officiating the Championship matches between Derby and Wrexham on 10 October and between Southampton and Bolton last weekend. Antrobus, meanwhile, took the field as an assistant referee in last Saturday's match between Newcastle and Aston Villa.

In the 59th minute, City, down to 10 men, went ahead when Haaland placed a finish from a cross. The assistant referee had initially raised the offside flag and the goal was disallowed on the pitch. The semi-automated offside technology did not find Haaland offside and the goal was awarded. Fernandez, however, was clearly offside as he stretched for the same cross. Although he did not touch the ball, it was judged that his movement affected the defending of United's Lisandro Martinez.

Howard Webb, the refereeing chief at Pro Ref, said Donohue had "tunnel vision" by focusing only on whether Haaland was offside. Webb said the people around him should have pulled him out of that fixation. According to Sky Sports News, an apology was also sent to United over the wrong decision.