Howard Webb, head of Pro Ref’s officiating department, is facing increased scrutiny following another high-profile error involving the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system during the recent Manchester derby. Webb has responded by removing VAR officials Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus from this weekend’s Premier League matches after a controversial decision allowed Manchester City’s Erling Haaland to score a winning goal that should have been disallowed.

The incident occurred when Haaland’s goal stood despite Enzo Fernandez being in an offside position and deemed to have interfered with play. This error prompted Pro Ref to reach out to Manchester United to acknowledge the mistake and offer an explanation. The decision has raised questions about the consistency and application of the offside rules within VAR protocols.

Arsenal has also contacted Webb following a match involving their team, where referee John Brooks awarded a penalty against Ezri Konsa for a challenge on Sunderland’s Dan Ballard. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta publicly criticized the decision, prompting the club to seek clarification on the rationale behind the penalty call. The referees’ association has issued reminders to officials to enforce stricter prohibitions on grappling in the penalty area this season, but Arsenal and other clubs argue that similar fouls in comparable situations have gone unpunished, contributing to perceptions of inconsistency.

The mounting controversies have added to longstanding concerns among Premier League clubs regarding refereeing standards, consistency in the enforcement of new directives, and the persistence of significant errors in high-stakes matches. Webb, who has led refereeing operations for nearly four years, now faces pressure to address these issues at the upcoming Premier League shareholders’ meeting as well as through the forthcoming edition of the “Match Officials Mic’d Up” program, which aims to offer greater transparency on officiating decisions.

Meanwhile, Michael Oliver, who officiated the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, is slated to oversee the Bournemouth versus Liverpool fixture on Sunday, indicating that he has not been implicated in the recent controversies.

The situation underscores ongoing challenges in balancing effective use of VAR technology with maintaining consistency and fairness in Premier League officiating.