Enzo Maresca has dismissed the backlash around Manchester City’s disputed derby winner, arguing that the reaction has taken attention away from his side’s display. The City manager said it was “quite poor” that the performance was being overlooked, while also pointing to a similar call that went against City in a 2023 derby.

The incident centred on Fernández, who went up to challenge for the ball and missed it, leaving Haaland onside from the original cross. The debate came down to the Argentine’s position in front of goal, with his movement affecting the reactions of others around him.

On Match Officials Mic’d Up, referee chief Howards Webb admitted the VAR focus narrowed too heavily on Haaland. “The VAR gets super focused on Haaland,” Webb said. “He establishes he’s onside, he thinks that’s a good goal. He doesn’t truly evaluate the full impact of Fernández’s position.”

City had already spent much of the match playing with 10 men after Phil Foden was sent off in the first half for tangling with Bruno Fernandes. That context, Maresca argued, mattered just as much as the disputed goal.

“Talking about one episode or one moment after that game when we played for 70-75 minutes with 10 players, I think it’s quite poor,” Maresca said on Wednesday, his first press conference since the officials publicly acknowledged the error on Sunday.

He also made clear that he believed the team’s display deserved recognition. “I think the performance was unbelievable, and I’m pleased with the performance.”

Maresca did not deny City benefited from a mistake, but framed it as part of the game rather than a special case.

“There is knowledge that there was a mistake and that’s all. Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes against you. It’s football,” he said.

To underline his argument, the new City boss referred back to January 2023, when United won a derby 2-1 after coming from behind. Bruno Fernandes scored the equaliser after an offside Marcus Rashford chased the ball without touching it, then left it for his teammate.

Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb has clarified why Bruno Fernandes escaped dismissal after his clash with Phil Foden in Sunday’s derby, describing the United captain’s action as “petulant” rather than “violent.”

The incident came in the first half when Foden went to ground over the ball and was struck twice by Fernandes’ foot. Before referee Michael Oliver had acted, Foden responded by kicking out toward Fernandes’s chest. That led to a red card for the City player, who was then taken away by teammates.

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca accepted that Foden had crossed the line, but believed Fernandes should have received the same punishment. “Phil’s card is a red card,” Maresca told assembled media after the 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford, “but I also think the same action is a red card by Bruno.”

Webb disagreed, and on a new episode of Match Officials Mic’d Up he said: “I agree with the red card for Phil Foden,” Webb explained. “He kicks out with force into the upper body of Bruno Fernandes.

“Now, when you look at the footage, there is that petulant kick by Bruno Fernandes into the backside of Foden. It is more petulant than violent.

“To be violent conduct, it has to have excessive force or brutality. When you look at that, particularly in full speed, it doesn’t have those elements. So therefore, this would be a yellow card offense.”

The judgement was always likely to remain with the officials on the field, as it was not the sort of subjective call VAR would overturn. But the larger controversy from the match centred on the goal awarded for City’s winner, where Webb also acknowledged a mistake had been made.

He said the VAR became too focused on Erling Haaland being onside and did not fully assess the role of Enzo Fernández, who dived in front of Lisandro Martínez from an offside position. United’s manager was left frustrated, calling the decision: “It’s as obvious as it gets.”

Matt Donohue’s role in the derby has drawn renewed attention after the Video Assistant Referee was involved in the decision that led to Erling Haaland’s winning goal for Manchester City on Sunday. The error was not his first controversial moment involving Manchester United, though it may be the one that keeps him away from their fixtures for some time.

Following the incident, Donohue and assistant Blake Antrobus have not been given a Premier League appointment for the coming weekend. The Daily Mail also reports that the pair have been “blocking” from taking charge of any United matches “for the foreseeable future.”

That latest development will do little to change the mood around United, where Michael Carrick was already unimpressed by any talk of an apology from Pro Ref. “Yeah, that’d be great, that. Yeah, I can’t wait for that one,” he said, dripping with sarcasm.

The tension between Donohue and United goes back to March, when the official was on the touchline as fourth official in a match against Bournemouth. Harry Maguire was dismissed for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, shortly after Amad Diallo had been on the end of a similar challenge that went unpunished. Donohue later wrote in his report: “In the 78th minute of the game, referee Stuart Attwell sent off Manchester United #5 Harry Maguire,” Donohue wrote in his report . “After the VAR check was complete, Maguire, as he was leaving the field of play, approached me and shouted, ‘You’re a joke. You’re all a f—ing joke.’ I am reporting the matter to the Football Association for further review.”

Maguire denied using abusive language and said: “I did not use abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official or any other match official. As I left the field of play following my dismissal, I said something along the lines of ‘it is a f—ing joke.’ I am certain that I did not call the fourth official or any match official, a joke or use any other form of insult.”

Donohue maintained that the remark was “aimed collectively at the group of officials,” and the FA upheld that view with an additional one-match ban for United’s defender.

Carrick also took issue with the derby decision itself, saying: “I don’t really know how you go and get another explanation on that one,” before adding, “I think we all understand what that rule means [regarding interfering with play], and it’s pretty obvious. It’s as obvious as it gets.”

The controversy is not limited to United, either. In March 2023, Sheffield United’s late winner against Sunderland also brought a disputed reading of the offside law into focus, with Tommy Doyle’s free kick dropping into the bottom corner after Sander Berge had attempted to reach it.