Wayne Rooney shares his best opinion so far on Erling Haaland’s talked-about goal in the Manchester derby.
Wayne Rooney spoke up for what many Manchester United fans were thinking after the controversial VAR decision that gave Manchester City the win in yesterday’s derby.
On Sunday (September 13), City played most of the game with 10 men after Phil Foden was sent off for kicking at Bruno Fernandes. Still, they managed a late win thanks to Erling Haaland.
At first, Haaland’s goal in the 60th minute was called offside, but VAR overruled it, saying Patrick Dorgu’s boot helped Haaland stay onside. This left fans and experts confused, as many thought Enzo Fernández, who tried a diving header, was interfering.
Shortly after, the Premier League explained the decision, saying VAR checked the offside call and decided Haaland was onside and Fernández didn’t touch the ball. But later that night, Pro Ref, the refereeing body, admitted they made a mistake.
They said, “Enzo Fernandez didn’t play the ball, so the offside call is not clear cut. But the VAR missed how Fernandez’s position could have affected play and should have asked for a review. We’ve contacted Manchester United to acknowledge this error and will review it further.”
This came after United defender Lisandro Martínez spoke out, calling the decision an “injustice.” In a Sky Sports interview, he said:
“I don’t understand the rules. Haaland was free because I was marking Fernandez. Losing the derby at home is tough. After so many mistakes like this in the Premier League, it’s unacceptable. We have the best players and teams, but we have to accept this unfair decision.”
Later, on BBC’s Match of the Day, Rooney didn’t hold back. He said anyone who’s played football knows Fernández is offside, even if he didn’t touch the ball.
“I’m so fed up with VAR—it kills the emotion and energy of the game. Not realizing Fernández is offside and getting it that wrong is just unbelievable.”
Former Liverpool player Danny Murphy agreed, calling the decision “bad” and admitting he’s finding it hard to give officials the benefit of the doubt.
Manchester United will be back in action on Wednesday (September 16) in the Carabao Cup against Brighton.