The big audio dynamite was certainly explosive. The newly-released audio between VAR and AVAR about the Erling Haaland goal in the Manchester Derby makes for embarrassing listening. The self-styled best league in the world had one of the marquee fixtures in the English calendar scarred by lack of concentration and inept use of technology. Matt Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus were so focused on whether Haaland was offside – semi-automated technology helped them quickly see he was 3cm on – that they didn’t notice Enzo Fernandez could be offside and impacting play - when everyone else could see it. Enzo was only six yards out, slightly right of centre of the goal, and clearly impacting the decision-making of Lisandro Martinez and Senne Lammens. It’s such a basic error anyway, and what’s alarming is that there wasn’t even any discussion of the possibility of Enzo being offside in the audio, only a brief check to see if he touched the ball on its way to Haaland. What is even more alarming is that these are two of Pro Ref’s better officials, both experienced. Donohue has refereed 300 games, been VAR for another 65, including two Champions League qualifiers this season, as well as the Derby disaster, and run the line on 11 occasions. Antrobus has run the line in 195 games, including the recent Community Shield between City and Arsenal. They know the Laws. These officials work with pilots and air traffic controllers to enhance the art of decision-making in stressful circumstances. Scramble the pilots back to Stockley Park. More tuition required. The pair, who are mortified at the mistake, have been dropped for the next round of Premier League fixtures. They are the fall guys, understandably given the enormity of the error, but that cannot shield Pro Ref. Its occasionally-glimpsed leader Howard Webb went on “Match officials Mic’d Up” and acknowledged the mistake. “He (Donohue) doesn’t truly evaluate the full impact of Fernandez’s position,” Webb told Michael Owen. “He has a look to see if he touches the ball because then that relates to potentially knocking it to Haaland, who goes on to score. “He doesn’t touch the ball, but he doesn’t truly evaluate other elements of offside. In that moment, he gets tunnel vision. He gets focused on Haaland, and it’s down to the rest of his team to pull him out of that tunnel and, unfortunately, that didn’t happen on this occasion.” Webb added that it was an “unusual type of error”. Pro Ref’s chief refereeing officer does not seem to understand the widespread bemusement and anger that the officials could get such a simple decision so badly wrong. United's rivals will enjoy it - and City were undoubtedly deserved winners - but the mistake is damaging to the league. Webb doesn’t seem to understand that such incidents, however “unusual”, further undermine the case for technology - even if the error is clearly human. Those fans possessed by conspiracy theories about officiating, and club bias, are having a field day. Even taking social media outrage with a pinch of salt, such outpourings dent the game’s credibility. It’s not corruption at work here; it’s lack of concentration. Unfortunately for Webb, the general perception of English application of VAR is that it is inept, especially coming after a World Cup when Pierluigi Collina’s officials largely delivered a tournament free of on-field refereeing controversy (barring Lionel Messi not being sent off for a raking offence against Algeria; Kylian Mbappe not getting a pen for a foul by Sadio Mane; and the controversy over an Egyptian goal disallowed against Argentina). As Collina can draw from the best officials in the world, including the Old Trafford referee Michael Oliver, the level is also better. But there seemed less of a forensic approach. And fewer mistakes. Technology is here to stay so the English have to use it better. Missing Enzo was not a fault of the technology but of human error. But what does this say about Webb’s organisation if two of the most respected officials make such an elementary mistake? Is there a problem with the culture of English officiating? Is there a hierarchy problem where more junior officials don’t speak out? Should the system be tweaked so the on-field ref can demand to go to the monitor? Oliver, our best referee, is reliant on the VAR and AVAR for guidance. But when it is such a big moment he surely should be allowed more involvement. And does more money need to be invested in improving refereeing standards? Pro Ref’s budget is reportedly in the £25m to £30m range. Premier League clubs spent 15 times that on agents last year. The lessons of the Enzo saga is that better concentration, better oversight and better resources are required. With respect to the interviewing skills of Owen, Webb needs to be called to account properly. He can handle the media, and has always been a popular figure, but has disappeared from view, beyond a few set-piece events. Pro Ref has to remember it’s not their game – it belongs to the fans, and they have to serve them better.

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