Manchester derby VAR error blamed on 'tunnel vision', says Pro Ref chief Webb

Howard Webb, the head of England's professional refereeing body, has said the organisation is disappointed with a VAR decision that allowed a goal by Erling Haaland to stand in the recent Manchester derby against Manchester United.

Webb explained that the error stemmed from what he described as "tunnel vision" — a situation in which the official reviewing the incident focuses too narrowly on one element of the passage of play and fails to account for other relevant factors that could have changed the outcome. Haaland's goal, scored for Manchester City, was confirmed after a VAR check, though Webb indicated that a proper review should have led to a different conclusion.

Public acknowledgement

Webb's comments continue a now-familiar pattern in which England's referees' body publicly reviews contentious VAR calls after matches, explaining how decisions were reached and whether they complied with the rules. In this instance the verdict was unambiguous: the body openly acknowledged a mistake had been made, meaning Manchester United were affected by a flawed officiating decision in their derby against their local rivals.

Webb oversees the organisation responsible for managing professional referees and supervising the VAR system across England's top-flight football. Such public admissions typically follow matches that generate significant media and fan debate, though they rarely change the result of a match that has already been played.

No further consequences or disciplinary steps involving the officials concerned have been announced at this stage.