Manchester United were beaten 1-0 by Manchester City at Old Trafford but Michael Carrick was furious at the decision to allow Erling Haaland’s controversial goal.

Michael Carrick was left furious at the decision to allow Manchester City’s controversial derby day winner at Old Trafford, saying he “didn’t get” the official’s reason for giving Erling Haaland’s goal.

Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position as he attempted to connect with a cross, distracting Lisandro Martinez and goalkeeper Senne Lammens. While Fernandez didn’t touch the ball, it left Lammens out of position when Haaland’s effort at the back post flew past him.

Carrick was staggered at the decision to give the goal, which had initially been ruled out for offside. Haaland was being played onside by Patrick Dorgu, but the controversy centred on Fernandez’s role and whether he was interfering with play.

“At the time I hadn’t totally seen it. But the explanation I got was he wasn’t interfering with play, so I just don’t get it. I really don’t get it,” said Carrick.

“I can’t understand how they’re trying to help referees and putting so many layers behind them with so many people, so many bodies, so many screens, and so many whatever offices they are to try and come up with the right decisions.

“If that’s how the rules are interpreted, that you’re not interfering with play because you’ve thrown yourself at the ball six yards from goal and pretty much nearly touched it, which then Licha has to react from.

“On top of that, the line was a bit dubious where they drew the line to start with. It’s worrying if that’s really how the game’s seen by those who are officiating it.”

Carrick said he hadn’t held any further discussions with referee Michael Oliver over the decision and gave short shrift to the idea of complaining to Pro Refs over why the goal was allowed.

“I don’t know how you can. I don’t know where you go. I don’t really know how you go and get another explanation on that one, I have to say,” he said.

Told Pro Refs sometimes apologise for decisions they get wrong, Carrick said: “Yeah, that’d be great, that. Yeah, I can’t wait for that one.”

Man United conceded a controversial winner against Manchester City that decided the derby at Old Trafford

Lisandro Martinez has demanded an explanation from the Premier League after Manchester City’s controversial winner against Manchester United. City went down to ten men in the first half after Phil Foden kicked out at Bruno Fernandes.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead when Josko Gvardiol’s cross was deflected into the path of Erling Haaland who scored. Initially, the flag went up to indicate that it was offside. However, VAR overruled the on-field decision as they ruled that Haaland was onside and that Enzo Fernandez did not touch the ball in the centre.

Martinez was the defender in the centre who was closest to both Fernandez and Haaland. Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, he was left fuming with the officials. The Argentina international said: “I think it was offside. What I can’t understand is the rules.

“He was there. I went to him because he was there in front of me. That is why Haaland was free at the back.

“I want to be calm now, I want to control myself. It is so hard because you lose the derby, you lose three points at home.

“Every season they come to our club, explain for one hour, one hour 30 minutes the rules and they look so confident with that. Then after that, five, six people doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League. It’s the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world.

“Now we have to go home with this injustice.” He then continued: “It was difficult because I had two players and I was 50/50 so I had to take the first man.

“As simple as that. As simple as that. Let’s see what they have to say now.”

After the decision, the Premier League Match Centre wrote on X: “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.”

As he stepped up to the baseline, Alexander Zverev could be forgiven for letting his mind slip back to the last time he served for the US Open title.

Six years ago, the German top seed threw away a two-set lead in a devastating loss to Dominic Thiem, having served for the match in the fifth set.

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This time, instead of his own nerves, it was American Ben Shelton and the majority of the 24,000-strong crowd that stood in Zverev’s way.

But this was a different Zverev: a Grand Slam champion now, having won the French Open in June.

Such was his focus that he did not initially realise he had sealed a 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 5-7 6-2 victory.

After firing down another unstoppable serve to win the match, Zverev returned to the baseline ready to start the next point – only to be told by his team the match was over.

As the realisation sunk, the 29-year-old broke into a broad and slightly surprised smile before raising his arms above his head.

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The scenes were in direct contrast to his defeat by Thiem in 2020, where a tearful Zverev said during the trophy presentation: “I wish one day I can bring the trophy home”.

Now, his wish has come true.

“We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now we’ve won two in three months,” said Zverev.

“2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”

Zverev’s parents were not there for his last final in Flushing Meadows, but his father and coach Alexander senior was on the sidelines this time.

As well as paying tribute to his father, Zverev also thanked his mother for her support following his diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child.

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“When doctors tell you that life and sports will be very limited for that child, it takes a very strong mother to say: ‘my son will be whatever he wants to be’,” Zverev said.

“My mother is the most important and strongest person I know.”

‘He was in a trance-like state’

World number two Zverev has enjoyed his best year on the Tour, reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open and the final at Wimbledon alongside his French Open and US Open successes.

He has been aided by injuries to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who swept the majors in the past two seasons, but a strengthened mentality and dedication to fitness has also helped.

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“There is no-one as fit as Zverev, he is right up there,” former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“You can argue about Alcaraz and Sinner, and Novak [Djokovic] and Rafa [Nadal] when they were in their prime physically, but Zverev is right up there as one of the best athletes to play the sport.”

Zverev was taken to five sets in his first two matches, with both finishing in the early hours of the New York morning.

He was two points from defeat in the first round, but rallied, played his way into form and did not drop a set from the third round until the final.

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Faced with a partisan crowd against Shelton, Zverev did not buckle. He kept his emotions deliberately in check and, even though he lost the third set, never loosened his grip on the match.

“I’m so admiring of his strength of character and the zen-like state he’s been in since the very beginning of the match,” former British number one Annabel Croft.

“The most extraordinary thing was – and I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed it – was that he didn’t realise he had won.

“It was so bizarre, but it was like he was in a trance-like state while he was playing.”

His serve – one of the best on the ATP Tour – was key against Shelton.

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He won 39 of 42 points behind his first serve in the first two sets and did not face a break point until the middle of the third.

Shelton broke at the end of the third set to extend the match but the American made little impact in return games from then on, winning only four of 20 receiving points in set four

Victory means he will now have the world number one ranking in his sights – he trails Sinner by 1,810 points with two Masters 1000 events and the season-ending ATP Tour finals to come.

But Zverev is a polarising figure in tennis.

In October 2023, he was given a penalty order and fined 450,000 euros (£392,000) for bodily harm against his ex-partner, who he shares a child with.

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Zverev denied the claims and lodged an objection against the order. A trial in May 2024 was discontinued after a week and there was a separate settlement between Zverev and his ex-girlfriend.

At the time, the court told BBC Sport: “The decision is not a verdict and it is not a decision about guilt or innocence.”

Zverev was also accused in October 2020 of physical violence and controlling behaviour by another former girlfriend. He maintained his innocence from the start and there were no legal proceedings.

Match of the Day pundits Danny Murphy and Wayne Rooney take a look at Lewis Dunk’s incredible long-range strike in Brighton’s 5-0 win against Coventry, praising the defender for his technique.

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The betting public suffered a setback with the defeat of the favourite, Oliveanotherday, in the Bobbie Lewis Stakes at Flemington.

Trained by Tom Dabernig, the sprinter was the $1.60 favourite for the 1200m Group 2 race down the Flemington straight on Saturday but did not appear comfortable on the demanding track during its first attempt.

Jockey Harry Coffey reported to Dabernig that the sprinter failed to produce its usual turn of foot, finishing fifth, just over a length behind the winner, Losesomewinmore.

Dabernig stated that plans to contest the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on September 26 are still viable despite the result.

The public support for Oliveanotherday was so substantial that Losesomewinmore was the second betting choice at $12.

Under the direction of Craig Williams, Losesomewinmore raced towards the inside of the track, winning by a long-neck from Hedged ($13), with Enxuto ($151) a further long-head back in third.

Losesomewinmore is prepared by the Adelaide-based father-and-daughter training duo, Richard and Chantelle Jolly, who established a satellite base at Flemington last year.

Richard Jolly noted the advantages the Flemington team has experienced due to reduced travel.

“In previous years we have been going back and forth with them,” Jolly said. “He’s based here and it makes life easier and we will get another run or two out of him than we would normally get.”

Although drawing an inside barrier can sometimes be a disadvantage, Jolly explained after the race that Williams was content to maintain a position along the fence.

“Craig said before the race that we had drawn in, so we might as well not look to be getting out,” Jolly said. “He thought the track was pretty even and we would be better to take those inside runs as there would be room there and it worked out brilliantly.”

Losesomewinmore has now won six times down the Flemington straight, over distances ranging from 1000m to 1200m.

Jolly indicated that the Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on October 3 is likely to be the sprinter’s next start.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to take him around a corner for the rest of the spring,” Jolly said. “The Gilgai is coming up, there are some nice Moonee Valley races going to other tracks, so we’ll be mindful of where he’s going to be weighted the best.

“He got in really well today with the 53 (kilos) which obviously made a big difference.”

Bet on the upcoming races with leading online bookmakers.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland scored the winner in the derby as the Blues beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford

Erling Haaland admitted he took the prospect of him being offside for his derby day winner personally as 10-man Manchester City beat Manchester United.

City were reduced to 10 men after Phil Foden received a red card for lashing out at Bruno Fernandes in the first half. However, it was City who hit the front on the hour mark when Haaland steered in Josko Gvardiol’s deflected cross. Initially, the assistant referee raised his flag but VAR officials at Stockley Park checked the decision and, after a lengthy delay, found that Haaland was in line with the ball when Gvardiol crossed.

Then, the attention turned to Enzo Fernandez in the centre. He was in an offside position but crucially did not touch the ball. This was enough to satisfy VAR that the offside should be overruled and the goal should stand.

When asked about the goal at full time, Haaland told Sky Sports: “I thought maybe someone flicked it. When I found out no one flicked it, I took it personally that they thought I was offside because I’m never usually offside.

“It’s always nice to win football games, but especially with 10 men for 60 minutes at Old Trafford, it’s such a nice feeling, especially with the fans at the end. To look at all the faces of the supporters at the end is just a great feeling.”

City were thankful to Gianluigi Donnarumma in added time when he produced a superb save to deny Bryan Mbeumo. Replays showed the United man may have been offside, but that did not detract from the quality of the save.

On his goalkeeper, Haaland added: “What a save from Gianluigi Donnarumma at the end as well. He’s like a wolf in the goal, he looks like a wolf anyway.

“He’s a mad man and to have a guy like that in the goal behind you just makes you feel so much more safe.”