Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes that Erling Haaland's goal against Manchester United shouldn't have counted.

Haaland scored the only goal of the game as Manchester City claimed the derby spoils at Old Trafford despite being down to ten men early in the game.

Erling Haaland scores for Manchester City against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League
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Haaland somehow managed to finish while falling onto the floor but his brilliant goal was a controversial oneCredit: Getty

However, the biggest moment of controversy came when Josko Gvardiol's cross from the left deflected off Patrick Dorgu's foot and spun into the path of Haaland at the far post.

He was off balance as he managed to slam it into the roof of the net.

It was initially not given owing to an offside call against Haaland, but VAR checked and confirmed he was onside.

However, Enzo Fernandez was offside in the middle of the box and flung himself at the ball before it reached Haaland, but the officials ruled that because he didn't touch the ball, it didn't matter, and the goal was given.

But Gallagher joined talkSPORT on Sunday evening to confirm that he felt the decision was totally wrong.

Speaking to Natalie Swayer and Danny Mills on The Final Word, he said: “I cannot believe it wasn't offside.

"The ball came across, I generally thought Haaland was offside but he wasn't, I get that.

“But when the ball comes across, without doubt Fernandez is offside and being in offside position isn't an offence, we all know that.

“But challenging for the ball to stop an opponent is, and without doubt, if you look at that when it goes by his head, it's astonishing how close that is to his head. And Lisandro Martinez is also close.”

Screengrab of Sky Sports TV coverage of Manchester derby
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VAR ruled that Haaland was played onside by Dorgu and that Fernandez hadn't interfered with play

Crossed wires

Earlier in the game, Phil Foden had been sent off for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes.

The kick followed the English international being on the receiving end of a less obvious one from Fernandes while he was on the floor.

But Michael Oliver only saw the Foden one and dished out a red card.

On that occasion, VAR backed up the officials, and Gallagher believes the same thing should have happened here.

He said: “The linesman flagged offside. I just think we go back to empowering officials, you can't have it one way or not the other, you've got to be consistent.

“I said we empowered Michael Oliver, we accept he gave a red card on the field, the VAR didn't overturn it and we accept that.

"But in this case the official on the line he gave offside and the VAR after lengthy, lengthy looks decided to go elsewhere. And he will be, the assistant will feel gutted because all three of us feel it's offside.

“I haven't spoke to anybody who thinks it's not offside. The biggest victim here is the assistant.”

Michael Carrick reacts during the 1-0 defeat for Manchester United against Manchester City in the Premier League at Old Trafford
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Carrick was beside himself with rage at the officiatingCredit: Getty

  • OFFSIDE (Interfering with play): A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a teammate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:
    interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or
    interfering with an opponent by:
    • preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or
    • challenging an opponent for the ball or
    • clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
    • making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball

Carrick: 'That's not the rules'

After the game, Michael Carrick expressed his anger at the decision to award Haaland's goal.

In a post-match interview, he said: "Whoever's watched it and told him [referee Michael Oliver] that he's [Fernandez] not interfering with play. I don't know how they're in a position to understand football.

"You're asking the defenders to do certain things in certain moments. I get it if he's standing there and he doesn't move.

"That's just the rules. To interpret the rules like that, that's not the rules for me. That's just not the rules. It's just wrong."

Poor start

Despite the controversial goal, it has still been a very poor start to the season from Man United.

On paper, they had one of the easiest runs possible with two newly promoted sides and Everton away before playing a Man City side down to ten men for well over 45 minutes.

And they have four points from those matches, and as our Chief Football Correspondent Alex Crook points out, this was a toothless display.

The home side hit the post twice from distance through Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo.

But from open play, Gianluigi Donnarumma had very little to do until the very end when he superbly tipped away Bryan Mbeumo's shot from inside the box.

Bar that, it was slim pickings, so though the goal shouldn't have stood, Man United can't say they did enough to win.

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