Manchester City defeats Manchester United amid controversial VAR ruling

On September 13, 2026, Manchester City secured a 1-0 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford during the fourth matchday of the Premier League. Despite being reduced to ten men following an earlier red card, City claimed the win through a 60th-minute goal from Erling Haaland. The goal was initially flagged for offside but was awarded after a VAR review, causing significant controversy.

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) later admitted that the officiating team made an error. Specifically, the referees acknowledged that Enzo Fernandez’s positioning influenced the play, and an on-field review should have been conducted. Despite this public admission of a faulty decision, the result of the match stands. The victory maintains Manchester City's perfect 4-0 record, keeping them level at the top of the table with Arsenal.

With this goal, Erling Haaland set a personal milestone, becoming the top scorer in the history of the Manchester derby. While some reports cite him reaching eight goals—tying record holders Sergio Aguero and Wayne Rooney—others, including updated statistics, suggest he has now moved ahead with nine goals. Manchester City’s feat of winning with ten men at Old Trafford is rare, marking only the second time a visiting team has achieved such a result since the inception of the Premier League.