Goal counts despite being offside
Guardiola fumes after Man United derby defeat
1/14/2023 3:26 p.m
Manchester is red: United wins the city derby against Man City and thus also the top game in the Premier League. Erling Haaland remains pale, while coach Pep Guardiola is likely to quarrel with the referee. Because the equalizer at Old Trafford is highly controversial.
English football champions Manchester United have put a heavy damper on city rivals Manchester City’s championship hopes. In a highly exciting city derby, United turned a 0-1 deficit into a 2-1 win in the closing stages. Marcus Rashford’s eighth goal of the Premier League season sent Red Devils fans into a frenzy in the 82nd minute after Bruno Fernandes had leveled just two minutes earlier, also thanks to a highly controversial decision by the referee team. City’s lead through substitute Jack Grealish (60th) was ultimately not enough for the team around exceptional striker Erling Haaland, who was unable to add another to his 21 league goals.
With their first derby win after three previous defeats, United are within one point of the reigning champions, who suffered their second bankruptcy in a few days after losing the League Cup during the week (0-2 at FC Southampton). Leaders Arsenal now have the chance to extend their lead over their pursuers to eight points by beating Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
Discussions in Manchester were primarily triggered by the emergence of United’s equalizer to make it 1-1: Casemiro had pushed through Rashford’s run, who was clearly offside at the moment the ball was played off. Rashford still starts in the direction of the ball and comes very close to it, except for a few centimetres, but does not touch it. Because Bruno Fernandes ran along and shot from the edge of the box, City keeper Ederson was beaten. First of all, the assistant’s flag goes up. However, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reverses this assessment and the goal counts.
“Of course is a confusing moment”
“Regardless of whether Rashford intervened or not, he distracted our goalkeeper and our centre-backs,” Guardiola complained on broadcaster BT Sport. His counterpart, ten Hag, expressed himself diplomatically. “I understand the other side,” said the United coach on the BT Sport microphone. “Obviously it’s a confusing moment. But if you follow the rules and he hasn’t touched the ball, then he hasn’t intervened and it’s a goal.” Fernandes saw it that way too. “I don’t know if any of us were offside,” said the goalscorer. “Marcus didn’t affect the defenders. That’s the way it is.”
A few moments after this attack, Rashford is definitely not offside after an attack down the left flank and slides in from close range to make it 2-1. City had actually controlled the game after Grealish opened the scoring, but failed to add a second goal. For the first time this season, Haaland was unsuccessful in two Premier League games in a row.
The Guardiola team, including the defeat at United, have won only two of their last five league games (plus one draw and two defeats) and are in danger of falling behind leaders Arsenal in the table. For United it is meanwhile the ninth competitive success in a row across all competitions.