Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has criticized the decision to allow Erling Haaland's goal in the recent match against Manchester City, which was initially disallowed by referee Michael Oliver but later overturned after a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. The goal was controversial because Enzo Fernandez appeared to be in an offside position and may have interfered with play. Carrick expressed concern over the explanation given for allowing the goal, questioning the interpretation of the offside rule. He raised doubts about the line drawn by officials, calling it questionable, and expressed skepticism about the complexity of the process involving multiple people and layers of decision-making. Carrick also responded sarcastically when asked if he would welcome an apology from Pro Ref, the organization formerly known as the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), stating he was "looking forward" to it. Defender Lisandro Martinez echoed Carrick's frustration, calling the decision to award the goal "unacceptable." Martinez claimed that Fernandez was offside and that he had marked his teammate, allowing Haaland to score. He added that officials had visited Manchester United to discuss the interpretation of the rules but had made mistakes in this instance. On the other side, Manchester City manager Maresca defended the decision, stating it was "completely clear" that Fernandez was not offside and that the goal should have stood. He also commented on Phil Foden's red card, which came in the 23rd minute after Foden kicked out at Bruno Fernandes from the ground. While Maresca did not challenge the decision to send Foden off directly, he suggested that Fernandes might also have deserved a red card for the kick he delivered to Foden earlier in the match. The incident highlights the ongoing debate over the interpretation of offside rules and the challenges of officiating in high-stakes football matches.