Pro Ref chief Webb blames VAR ‘tunnel vision’ for Manchester derby error

Howard Webb has a phrase for what went wrong at Old Trafford on September 13: tunnel vision. The Pro Ref chief said the VAR team became so fixated on semi-automated offside technology that they missed what was happening right in front of them, a textbook case of offside interference that should have wiped out the only goal in the Manchester derby. Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0 thanks to an Erling Haaland strike in the 55th minute. The goal was initially flagged offside by the assistant referee, but VAR reversed that call after semi-automated technology showed Haaland was onside by a razor-thin 3 centimeters. Problem is, nobody in the review booth bothered to look at the bigger picture. What the VAR team missed The issue wasn’t Haaland’s position. It was his teammate Enzo Fernandez, who was standing in an offside position when the ball was played. Fernandez didn’t just loiter there innocuously. According to Webb’s assessment, he dove toward the ball, and his movement impacted United’s defenders and goalkeeper. Under the laws of the game, that constitutes interfering with play from an offside position. The goal should have been chalked off. VAR Matt Donohue saw the semi-...