Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has expressed sympathy for match officials after his side benefited from a acknowledged VAR error during their 1-0 Premier League victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Erling Haaland scored the decisive goal in the 60th minute, securing a fourth consecutive league victory for Manchester City. The goal was initially ruled out on the field for offside before being overturned by VAR, which determined that United defender Patrick Dorgu played Haaland onside. However, the review failed to account for Enzo Fernández, who was in an offside position and actively interfering with play during the build-up.
Refereeing body Pro Ref subsequently admitted an “error of judgment,” confirming that the video assistant referee should have advised an on-field review to evaluate Fernández’s involvement.
Speaking ahead of Manchester City’s EFL Cup third-round tie against Norwich City, Maresca defended the officials despite the escalating scrutiny.
“Sometimes they go for you, the decisions, sometimes they go against you,” Maresca told reporters. “But also it’s not easy, I think, for the VAR, for the people that are in front of the screen, and in 10 seconds, 20 seconds they have to make a decision. It’s not easy for them. Sometimes they make some mistakes. I make mistakes, players make mistakes, I think it’s part of our job.”
Maresca expressed disappointment that media coverage focused heavily on the officiating error rather than his squad’s resilience. Manchester City played over 70 minutes with 10 men after midfielder Phil Foden received a straight red card in the 23rd minute for a clash with Bruno Fernandes.
The Italian manager also referenced a previous derby incident from the 2022/23 season—when he served as assistant to Pep Guardiola—highlighting a controversial offside goal awarded to United’s Bruno Fernandes despite Marcus Rashford being in an offside position.
“Three years ago, when I was here, it happened exactly the same against Man Utd,” Maresca said. “We lost the derby there. The goal was not a regular goal, if you remember. To be honest, no one apologised. We are still waiting for the apology for that goal. Sometimes it happens for you, sometimes it happens against you. It’s football.”
Maresca praised his team’s defensive structure and tactical adaptability following Foden’s dismissal, emphasizing that the squad’s performance deserved primary recognition over the refereeing debate.
