Michael Carrick has slammed the “awful decision” in Manchester United’s defeat to Manchester City.
Man United slumped to their second loss of the season, despite having an extra man for over an hour in the 199th Manchester derby on Sunday afternoon.
Phil Foden was sent-off in the 23rd minute at Old Trafford as the visibly frustrated Man City star kicked out at the Man United captain, catching him in the stomach.
However, it was the ten men who emerged victorious thanks to Erling Haaland’s strike on the hour mark which was awarded following a VAR check after the goal had initially been ruled out for offside.
While Haaland was certainly in an offside position, the controversy surrounds Enzo Fernandez and the impact he had on stopping Lisandro Martinez from getting to the ball first.
A statement from the Premier League reads: “VAR checked the referee’s call of no goal for offside – and determined that Haaland was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded.
“The VAR also deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn’t play the ball.”
Carrick, left fuming at the decision, added that he is worried for the future of football if Fernandez was adjudged to have not played the ball.
"The decision for the goal is absolutely huge, I'm absolutely baffled by the decision," he told the BBC.
"If that's how the rules are interpreted in terms of affecting the game or impacting the action and throwing yourself at the ball six yards from goal - it was an awful decision, I have to say.
"I thought we were doing well, coming out of the second half we were looking like we were building momentum, Kobbie [Mainoo] hits the post.
“It is just a huge decision. How many layers do we put behind officials, screens, people in offices, and they come up with that, it's really worrying.
"I thought we had some really good spells. The goal has a major impact and the decision has a major impact. We could've create more, it is not easy when they defend the box."
