Phil Foden was sent off during the first-half at Old Trafford before Erling Haaland scored a controversial winner to hand Manchester City all three points

Bruno Fernandes has been told he should have been booked for his role in Phil Foden’s sending off during the Manchester derby. The Manchester City star was shown a straight red card during the first-half of his side’s 1-0 victory at Old Trafford. Foden kicked out at Fernandes after being fouled by the United captain, but replays showed Fernandes had appeared to kick Foden first. And former Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief and FIFA referee Keith Hackett believes Fernandes deserved to be punished for his role in the incident.

“I think this is an interesting one,” he told Football Insider. “The minimum that the Man United player should have received is a yellow card because his actions were reckless.

“But it was a kick. So I’m actually saying he should have received a sanction. I’ve already spoken to one or two colleagues who believe that he should have been sent off.

“But the thing that persuades me towards yellow and against red is I don’t think there was any excessive force and I generally don’t think there was malice in it.

“But that’s how I’m reading it, and that’s me as an individual. But certainly not getting a yellow was an error by the referee.”

Speaking immediately after the incident, Gary Neville said he was ‘surprised’ Fernandes avoided any punishment.

While former United skipper Roy Keane said at half-time: “Bruno goes in, tackles him, clearly fouls him and gives him a little boot on the floor. Foden gets up, does react, and he’s now sent off.

“I’m guessing it’s classed as violent conduct, but to me Bruno’s the one who’s violent here. I have to call it out.

“I called Kyle Walker out a few years ago when he went down to a headbutt [which Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund was sent off for in December 2024]. I don’t think that’s a red card for Foden, I really don’t.”

Before he added: “Did the player give the referee a chance [to send him off]? Foden’s a bit daft here, but so is Bruno. If Bruno got sent off for that and nothing happened with Foden then we’d be saying, ‘Do you know what, Bruno was a bit daft, a bit silly’.

“The players are all in the PFA [Professional Footballers’ Association], everyone’s in a union – you’ve got to try and look out for each other; you can’t be rolling around.

“We saw Walker do it a few years ago with the headbutt and Bruno’s got to do better there. People say there’s tension and it’s a big game, but you’ve got to look out for your team-mates and the opposition players as well. Foden, I don’t think it’s a red card.”

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla on Monday said Indian women team’s refusal to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi was Board’s “collective decision” and the Asian Cricket Council chairman also “did not raise any objection” to it. India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final on Sunday in Dubai but did not accept the trophy from Naqvi, continuing a trend started by the men’s team during the 2025 Asia Cup following last year’s Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

“We discussed the matter among ourselves and decided that we would not accept it (trophy) from him. It was our collective decision. He (Naqvi) also did not raise any objection to it,” Shukla told reporters after arriving at the Indira Gandhi International Airport with the team.

“We informed our team accordingly, and he presented it to whoever he had to and then left,” Shukla added.

The veteran administrator’s words mirrored the stance of BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.

“We had taken a conscious decision considering all prevailing aspects, and our position had been communicated to the ACC in advance, that the Indian team would not participate in the trophy presentation under the circumstances,” Saikia had told PTI earlier.

Some images had surfaced earlier of Saikia talking to Naqvi during the Asia Cup final but Shukla said it was a mere “routine interaction.”

“What Saikia ji said is absolutely correct. When you are at a match, everyone is present there and interacts in a professional capacity. Therefore, I do not think there should be so much criticism over that,” he said.

Shukla also congratulated the team on the Asia Cup triumph, and expressed confidence in the team doing well in the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.

“We became Asia Cup champions. Our women have once again made us proud and we will continue to win in the future.

“The team is now heading to Japan and we are fully confident that we will secure a victory there as well,” he said.

Featured Video Of The Day

Spain Vs Argentina | Dani Olmo On WC Triumph: ‘Wanted To Set An Example For The Next Generation’

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with Saudi Pro League trophy. (Pic credit: Al Nassr)

Cristiano Ronaldo is back where he believes Al Nassr belong. After spending last season in Asia’s second-tier competition, the Saudi giants return to the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday, with Ronaldo once again chasing the one major continental club trophy that has eluded him since moving to the Middle East. Their opening assignment is a familiar one: Al Ain, the same UAE club that ended Al Nassr’s Champions League run in 2024. But this is a very different Al Nassr, with a league title, a new manager and a revamped continental competition waiting for them.

Why are Al Nassr back in the AFC Champions League Elite?

Al Nassr’s absence from the top tier last season was not a permanent step down. The Riyadh club failed to qualify for the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite and instead competed in the second-tier AFC Champions League Two, where they eventually lost the final to Japan’s Gamba Osaka.Their route back was secured by winning the 2025–26 Saudi Pro League, ending a seven-year wait for the domestic title. Al Nassr finished two points ahead of Al-Hilal, with Ronaldo scoring twice in a 4-1 final-day victory over Damac to seal the championship.The title also brought a significant change on the touchline. Jorge Jesus departed after leading Al Nassr to the league crown, and the club appointed Ange Postecoglou on a two-year contract. The former Tottenham and Celtic manager had already won the UEFA Europa League with Spurs and brings previous Asian experience from his time with Australia and Yokohama F. Marinos.So, after playing in the secondary competition last season, Al Nassr are back in the continent’s premier club tournament for 2026–27.

What has changed in the AFC Champions League Elite?

Ronaldo’s return comes in the first season of a major expansion to the competition.The 2026–27 AFC Champions League Elite has grown from 24 clubs to 32, split evenly between the West and East regions. Each region contains 16 teams, with every club playing eight league-stage matches: Four at home and four away, against eight different opponents.There are no traditional groups. Instead, all 16 clubs in each region are ranked in a single league table, with the top eight from each region advancing to the knockout stage.The round of 16 remains regional and is played over two legs, but the competition then moves to a centralised Finals in Saudi Arabia. The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will be staged there, with the final scheduled for May 1, 2027.For Al Nassr, the West Region is packed with familiar Saudi opposition. They are joined by Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad and Al-Qadsiah, alongside clubs including Al Ain and Shabab Al Ahli from the UAE, Qatar’s Al Sadd, Al Gharafa and Al Shamal, Iran’s Esteghlal and Tractor, Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor and Neftchi, and Iraq’s Air Force Club.

What is Cristiano Ronaldo’s Champions League record with Al Nassr?

Ronaldo has already played a significant role in Al Nassr’s recent continental campaigns, although he has never taken the club all the way to the title.His first top-tier AFC Champions League campaign came in 2023–24, when Al Nassr reached the quarter-finals before losing to Al Ain on penalties. Ronaldo scored six goals in that tournament.He returned for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite, when Al Nassr went further, reaching the semi-finals. Ronaldo scored eight goals, including against Al Ain in the league stage and in the quarter-final victory over Yokohama F. Marinos. The AFC confirmed he had reached eight goals in the competition after scoring in the 4-1 quarter-final win.That gives Ronaldo a top-tier record of 14 goals in 16 appearances for Al Nassr across those two campaigns.Last season was different. Ronaldo appeared four times in the AFC Champions League Two, scoring once, as Al Nassr’s continental campaign moved into the second tier.Now, at 41, he returns to the competition that matters most in Asia, and he does so having already won Champions League titles in Europe with Manchester United and Real Madrid.

Who do Al Nassr play and what are their chances?

The comeback begins against Al Ain on Tuesday, September 15, at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm local time.It is a particularly interesting opening fixture because Al Ain are not an unfamiliar opponent. They eliminated Al Nassr in the 2023–24 quarter-finals, winning the tie on penalties after the two legs finished level on aggregate.The UAE side arrive with their own credentials, having completed a domestic double without losing a league match. They therefore represent a serious test immediately rather than a gentle introduction to the expanded competition.Al Nassr, meanwhile, have plenty of attacking firepower. Ronaldo is joined by Sadio Mané, João Félix and Kingsley Coman, while Postecoglou is now tasked with translating last season’s domestic success into continental progress.There is also unfinished business. Al Nassr have yet to win Asia’s premier club competition during Ronaldo’s time at the club, despite reaching the quarter-finals and then the semi-finals in his previous two top-tier campaigns. The club’s loss to Gamba Osaka in last season’s AFC Champions League Two final only added another painful continental chapter.This time, they return to the top table with a Saudi title behind them, a new manager in charge and Ronaldo once again leading the pursuit of a trophy he has never won in Asia.

Leeds United maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign and moved up to third place following a convincing 4-1 victory against Newcastle United at Elland Road.

Daniel Farke’s side struck twice in two minutes during the opening half via a Lewis Miley own goal and a Jayden Bogle finish, before Dominic Calvert-Lewin added a third prior to the break.

The dominance continued after the restart, with Noah Okafor adding a fourth to extend the advantage before substitute Bazoumana Toure managed a late consolation for the visitors.

Earlier, Newcastle survived initial pressure when appeals for a Leeds penalty were turned down after the ball appeared to hit debutant Matias Fernandes-Pardo’s arm on the edge of the area.

Visiting goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek subsequently made a low save to deny Bogle’s hooked effort, shortly before Newcastle boss Matthias Jaissle was compelled to make an early substitution.

Summer signing Nico Gonzalez had needed treatment after being struck in the face by the ball in the opening exchanges and he was replaced by Sean Steur in the 20th minute.

Leeds continued to threaten and soon after Hornicek had punched clear Bogle’s dipping volley, they struck twice in as many minutes to take control.

Their opener came in fortuitous circumstances. Okafor cut in from the left and teed up Ao Tanaka, whose shot from the edge of the box took a double deflection – off Steur and then Lewis Miley – before spinning into the top corner.

There was nothing lucky about the home side’s second though after Steur’s misplaced pass out from the back had been pounced on by Bogle.

James Justin’s right-wing cross was met by Calvert-Lewin’s towering goal-bound header, which struck Bogle on the head before flying into the bottom corner.

Hornicek denied Leeds a third when he kept out close-range shots from Gabriel Gudmundsson and Calvert-Lewin in quick succession, but Newcastle fell 3-0 behind in first-half stoppage time.

Gudmundsson picked out Calvert-Lewin in the box and the striker side-stepped Sven Botman’s challenge to fire home a low finish inside the far post.

Leeds were unrelenting at the start of the second period and Anton Stach squandered a golden chance after intercepting Botman’s pass.

But after a non-plussed Jaissle sent on Joe Willock, Tino Livramento and Toure for Fernandes-Pardo, Amar Dedic and Jacob Murphy, Leeds added a fourth goal in the 59th minute.

Ethan Ampadu, celebrating his 26th birthday, swung a long throw into the box and Botman’s headed clearance was thumped inside the far post by Okafor on the half-volley.

Newcastle had not troubled home goalkeeper James Trafford throughout and a rare shot on target from Toure in the 89th minute was scant consolation for them as they slumped to a first defeat against Leeds in seven matches.

Savvy Hallie, under a purposeful ride from Nash Rawiller, dictated terms from the outset to secure victory in the $300,000 Sheraco Stakes over 1200 metres.

This Group 2 triumph is the third of its kind for Savvy Hallie, with trainer Michael Widdup keen to add a coveted Group 1 win to the mare’s record.

Looking ahead, Widdup mentioned the Group 1 $1 million Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on September 27 and the prestigious Group 1 $20 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 17 as potential major targets.

“She is definitely a Group 1 horse, we’ve got to try and win them now,” Widdup confirmed. “She is back in form now so fingers crossed she keeps going.

“The Manikato in Melbourne is the fork in the road but that looks pretty strong now, and The Everest has been mentioned.

“I would love to run her in The Invitation, hopefully they will give us an invitation, it would be nice to stay here but we will have a look at Melbourne next.”

The speedy Savvy Hallie, a $20 chance, led throughout, holding off Gangsta Granny ($6) by a neck, with the favoured Lazzura ($2.90) a half-neck further back in third.

Savvy Hallie’s time for the 1200m was a swift 1 minute 8.85 seconds, a mere 0.05 seconds off the race record set by Sunshine In Paris in 2023.

Her dominant win was a stark contrast to her last-start ninth in the Toy Show Quality at Randwick, though Widdup pointed to extenuating circumstances for that performance.

“Savvy Hallie has done it before,” Widdup elaborated. “We took her to the Gold Coast and thought she would be terribly hard to beat there but she was flat. She ran fourth and wasn’t at her best.

“First-up the other day, she did get slammed out of the gates and went to the inside which was a no-go zone.

“There were other things, apparently she was lame but she’s not lame today. There was not a thing wrong with her and she has proved that today.

“Nash was positive today and that is her at her best. He would have been positive last start if he was allowed too but it didn’t happen and that’s racing.

“She has been perfect since we got her home and it’s great to get another win.”

Rawiller commented that Savvy Hallie was a “different horse” at Rosehill compared to her disappointing Randwick run the previous month.

“I didn’t put that much weight on her getting checked out of the gates the other day, but I guess when you knock four lengths off them out of the gates it makes it hard to overcome that,” Rawiller stated.

“It meant a bit to me that win because I’ve had a good association with her. We were all pretty disappointed last time but kept the faith that she would bounce back, and it was great to see her come here today and do that.”

Rawiller echoed Widdup’s sentiment that Savvy Hallie possesses Group 1 winning capabilities.

“I’ve seen a lot of them, there are a lot of horses that have got that potential and they’re damn hard to win, those Group 1 races,” Rawiller said.

“But this is a mare that I think can definitely measure (up) to that level going forward.

“She will be wrapped up in kid gloves now and they’ll find another one (race) for her. It was a very exciting win.

“She has got a lovely attitude and is a beautiful filly. I was lucky I probably got on her at the right time, winning the Group 2 on her at Randwick and I won’t get off her until the day she dies. I’ll stick with her.”

Widdup suggested the Manikato Stakes is the likely next engagement for Savvy Hallie, potentially offering her a Group 1 breakthrough.

“Obviously the Manikato Stakes is there, plus there are good races here at home and we have got the Invitation and things like that,” Widdup said.

“But we will get her home, make sure she is right and go from there.”

As Savvy Hallie eyes the Manikato Stakes, punters can find competitive racing odds at Australian betting sites.

Chris Waller is contemplating whether to pit his mare Aeliana against stablemate Autumn Glow in the 7 Stakes at Randwick or send her to Melbourne for a Group 1 contest at Caulfield. The decision is anticipated later this week.

Aeliana is set to be entered for both the 7 Stakes (1600m) and the Underwood Stakes (1800m). Waller is leaning towards keeping her closer to home, pending the outcome of the barrier draw.

“We’re going to accept for the Underwood and the 7 Stakes, and then make a decision,” Waller stated.

“I’m happy to give her one more run at home to make sure everything is perfect and then probably join up in Melbourne for the Turnbull (Stakes).”

“If she was drawing an even gate in both places, she will probably stay in Sydney. If she draws better in Melbourne in the Underwood, she’ll go to the Underwood.”

The multiple Group 1 winner was scratched from the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday. Instead, she was given a 1000m solo workout between races at Rosehill.

With Zac Lloyd aboard, Aeliana completed the distance in 1:09.49, running her final 600m in 36.53s. Her overall time was nearly five seconds slower than Autumn Glow, who also worked over the same journey.

Waller was pleased with the performance from both mares, noting that Autumn Glow carried more condition and required a more solid gallop.

“She’s very forward, Aeliana. If she’s going to run over a mile, I still want to keep her sharp, so I didn’t want her to do too much. Autumn Glow does well between runs,” he commented.

Lindermann, the recent winner of the Chelmsford Stakes, will also be nominated for both Sydney and Melbourne races. Like Aeliana, the barrier draw is likely to be the deciding factor for his itinerary.

“Lindermann will be in a similar boat to Aeliana. He’ll be nominated for the Underwood and here,” Waller said.

“It would be exciting to run him in a Group One race, but the 7 Stakes is still worth a lot of money, and he’s a gelding.”

“He’s still building himself up. He had a soft mile last start, he’s ready for a strong mile, so it’s just weighing it up.”

The Randwick meeting is also scheduled to host The Shorts (1100m), a race that will feature several key contenders for The Everest. Among them is the Waller-trained Joliestar, making her debut appearance since finishing second at Royal Ascot in June. The final decision for Aeliana’s target race is heavily dependent on the barrier draw. Check out the latest racing betting markets for these upcoming events.

The Los Angeles Dodgers (90-59) hit the road to face the Cincinnati Reds (70-79) on Monday night in the first of a four-game series at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET.

These teams just met at Dodger Stadium in Southern California last week in a three-game set from Monday through Wednesday, with the Dodgers outscoring the Dodgers 23-6, including a 14-1 win in the series finale as the Over (8) cashed.

Los Angeles is nine games clear of the San Diego Padres in the National League West Division with 13 games remaining in the regular season. The Dodgers are 26-17 inside the division, white going 43-31 on the road.

Cincinnati sits in the basement of the National League Central Division, while going 36-38 at home, while posting a minus-145 run differential, the second-worst mark in the NL. Cincinnati has managed a 12-15 mark against NL West foes, too.

The Dodgers turn to LHP Tarik Skubal (9-7, 2.84 ERA, 0.97 WHIP), and he is 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA across 43 IP in seven starts since coming over from the Detroit Tigers. That includes a win over the Reds last Tuesday, as he allowed just two runs, four hits and two walks in 7 ⅓ IP, while striking out five batters in a 94-pitch quality start.

The Reds counter with LHP Nick Lodolo (3-4, 5.12 ERA, 1.53 WHIP), and he has really been in a nosedive lately. The southpaw is 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA and 1.66 WHIP across his past seven starts over 32 IP, including a loss Tuesday opposite Skubal at Chavez Ravine. Lodolo allowed three runs, five hits and three walks in 4 ⅔ IP with six strikeouts, and he has surrendered eight homers in the past six starts across 27 IP.

Los Angeles is 28-21 vs. LHP this season, including the win over Lodolo and the Reds last Tuesday, while Cincinnati is 17-21 against southpaws.

Heading into this series opener, let’s back the DODGERS -1.5 (-134) on the run line, and we’ll go OVER 8.5 (+106) at plus-money, with Los Angeles doing most of the heavy lifting to get things across the finish line.

In addition, let’s take NICK LODOLO UNDER 15.5 PITCHING OUTS RECORDED (-158), as the Dodgers limit him to five or fewer innings after knocking him around.

The world’s best players showcased their sport at the Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, which wrapped up on September 13.

Germany, led by Leonie Fiebich and Nyara, improved with every game throughout the preliminary and intermediate round of the 10-day tournament. In the quarterfinals, Germany beat European champions Belgium, delivering what was arguably their best-ever performance.

The final weekend though, revealed the team still isn’t quite ready to compete with the world’s elite over a full 40 minutes. Germany lost to France in the semifinals before losing to Spain in the match for third place. Despite their disappointment, the Germans still saw the tournament as a huge success.

“We simply aren’t good enough yet,” said Fiebich after the Spain match.

“We played the tournament with a lot of euphoria and beat the European champions, Belgium. But it’s hard to keep overperforming. Still, we will get better.”

The World Cup marked a climax of the positive development seen in German women’s basketball in recent years. In 2024, the team qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time, where the women also won a surprising gold in the 3×3 basketball. At the 2025 EuroBasket, Germany’s women finished fifth. The next women’s EuroBasket is next year and if Germany qualify, they should be medal contenders.

“I think it’s important to harness the pain the players are feeling right now,” Germany head coach Olaf Lange said.

“Because in our day-to-day work over the coming months and years, we need to improve individually. That requires a lot of motivation, and this pain acts as fuel for improvement.”

The support from Germany fans could hardly have been greater. A total of around 230,000 tickets were sold for the World Cup and although visiting fans were present, the crowds were made up primarily of Germans.

Advertisement

Only three play for German clubs

While the national team is just a few steps away from establishing itself among the world’s elite, Germany’s top women’s basketball league (DBBL) lags well behind the international competition.

Most players from the World Cup squad play abroad. Fiebich, Nyara Sabally and her sister Satou, who missed the tournament due to injury, as well as Luisa Geiselsöder and Frieda Bühner, play in the WNBA. Team captain Marie Gülich is moving to a club in Australia after the World Cup, having previously played in Taiwan. Emily Bessoir, Lina Sontag, and Alexis Peterson-Smalls play in Spain. Clara Bielefeld currently plays US college basketball.

Only three Germany players; Alexandra Wilke, Emma Eichmeyer, and Britta Daub, play for DBBL clubs, although both Eichmeyer and Daub have previously played abroad.

In Germany, they simply can’t earn a living from playing basketball. Wilke, for example, works as a teacher at a secondary school.

Advertisement

DBBL level ‘semi-professional’

Lange, who was a coach in the league from 1995 to 2002, describes it as “semi-professional,” and says it has gone downhill since he left.

“Back then, the top clubs had better structures than they do today—and we are in 2026. That says it all. Things are really going backwards,” he lamented during his post-tournament press conference.

“I have to ensure that our top players go abroad. As long as nothing changes in the league, it will be difficult to sustain this success.”

Professionalization efforts

Changes are needed to ensure the national team’s continued success. Ireti Amojo took over as DBBL president in March. The former Germany player is a TV pundit and podcaster and has also worked in management of the women’s program of top men’s club ALBA Berlin. She has introduced several measures aimed to professionalize conditions at DBBL clubs.

“We aim to hire full-time youth development coaches. We also want to increase arena capacities,” Amojo told daily newspaper TAZ prior to the World Cup.

Advertisement

“Currently, some venues hold a maximum of 600 spectators, and if interest grows – as it is now – we will need larger arenas.”

‘Too late to capitalize on a World Cup boom’

However, the top division is not the whole story; even if the Women’s Basketball World Cup were to trigger a surge of young girls taking up the game in Germany, most clubs would be ill-prepared to handle them. This is partly due to a shortage of coaches, but also because there is a lack of basketball facilities, making court time scarce.

“We should have started five years ago so that we could say now: ‘We are capitalizing on the momentum of the World Cup and ensuring that all these kids who have become basketball fans can play the sport in clubs across Germany,’” Amojo told Magenta Sport after the World Cup final.

“We are too late. We lack the structures to harness this interest and provide all the children fascinated by basketball with the opportunity, under perfect training conditions, to develop into the next Leonie Fiebich or Nyara Sabally.”

Still, Amojo thinks the World Cup may just prove to be a much-needed spark for future development.

Advertisement

“It was the kind of proof we all needed, because people are quick to dismiss it, claiming that no one in Germany is interested in women’s basketball. Now we’ve seen that people in Germany are interested in women’s basketball,” she said.

“We already have a few levers we want to use to work on the structures. And this certainly shouldn’t be the end of things.”

This article was originally written in German.

Edited by: Jonathan Harding

Advertisement

Howard Webb is to go public to outline why VAR gave Manchester City and Erling Haaland a controversial second-half goal against Manchester United on Sunday

Howard Webb is set to explain on Tuesday how the Manchester derby VAR blunder unfolded. Erling Haaland scored a controversial second-half winner to secure a 1-0 win for 10-man Manchester City against Manchester United.

The Norway international bundled the ball home at the back post after getting on the end of Josko Gvardiol’s deflected cross. The assistant referee initially put up his flag and deemed it as offside.

However, VAR overruled the on-field decision as they ruled that Haaland was onside and Enzo Fernandez, who was positioned in an offside position, did not touch the ball in the centre and did not interfere with Lisandro Martinez, who was the United defender closest to both City players.

Pro Ref have since contacted United do admit there was an ‘error of judgement’ in giving the goal and that they should have stuck with the on-field offside call, claiming that Fernandez interfered with Martinez.

Now, Webb, who is the Chief Refereeing Officer for Pro Ref, is expected to go through the entire incident in front of the TV cameras and be the focal point of the first edition of this season’s Match Officials Mic’d Up show, reports The Sun.

Webb is able to play out the communication between VAR duo Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus – who have both been dropped from duties – in the Stockley Park video booth before Michael Oliver was told to give the goal.

Oliver recognised the scale of the mistake, apparent to Pro Ref bosses almost as soon as the goal was awarded. Webb, meanwhile, gave the green light for Pro Ref to make a statement on the error three hours after the full-time whistle and he is now poised to give out steps they are making to avoid something similar happening in future.

A Pro Ref spokesman said: “Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus have not received appointments this weekend following the Manchester derby on Sunday.

“The decision made by Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb and the management team comes as the latest match official appointments are released, meaning the VAR and AVAR respectively from the Manchester United v Manchester City fixture will not officiate until at least after the international break.”

Michael Carrick pulled no punches with his assessment of the decision post-match and was far from pleased with the officials, and said the explanation from VAR “makes it worse”

Carrick said: “We put things in place in the game now to help – to layer referees’ decisions, how many screens, how many offices, how many people in an office somewhere to make a decision?

“It’s more worrying if that’s the interpretation of the game of football. If we’ve got people in place that are meant to understand the game and make decisions, if that’s the interpretation of not interfering with play or not having an impact on an attack – when you’re throwing your body at it within an inch or two of the ball, with our defender next to him who has to react to that – it’s really worrying for me if that’s how that’s interpreted.

“It’s a staggering decision, I have to say. I couldn’t understand it once I seen it, and then the explanation almost makes it worse.”

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has decided to hold two-stage trials for the 2026 Senior World Championships, giving wrestlers selected for the Asian Games a chance to also compete for a place in the World Championships team.

According to a WFI circular, wrestlers selected to represent India at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan will not be barred from participating in the Senior World Championships selection trials.

Instead, they will have the opportunity to challenge for a World Championships berth through a “final trial”.

The move is particularly significant because the Asian Games are scheduled for later in September, while the Senior World Championships will be held soon afterwards in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1.

First phase on September 14 and 15 WFI’s first round of Senior World Championships trials will be held in the six Olympic weight categories on September 14 at IG Stadium in New Delhi while trials for the men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman style will be held on September 15 at SAI Centre in Lucknow.

How the second phase will work If an Asian Games-selected wrestler does not participate in the September 14-15 World Championships trials, the winner in that weight category will subsequently be required to face the Asian Games-selected wrestler in a “final trial”.

However, an Asian Games-selected wrestler is not barred from taking part in the first trial.

If that wrestler chooses to compete and finishes first, WFI says he or she will be selected for the World Championships and “no final trial” will be conducted in that weight category.

In effect, the September trials establish the challenger, while a second contest will determine the final World Championships representative where the Asian Games selection creates an overlap.

The dates for the final trials are yet to be announced.

The men’s freestyle 86kg and 130kg Greco-Roman categories will not follow this final trial provision.

The wrestler finishing first in these two categories in the September 15 trials will be selected to represent India at the Senior World Championships. This is because India will go unrepresented in these two weight classes at the Asian Games due to failed dope tests of Mukul Dahoya (86kg) and Deepanshu (130kg).

The WFI had earlier decided to field separate teams for the U23 and Senior World Championships.

The U23 World Championships are scheduled in Las Vegas from October 12 to 18 while the Senior World Championships in Kazakhstan begin just six days later, on October 24.

The unusually short gap prompted WFI to conclude that asking the same wrestlers to compete at both championships would leave insufficient time for recovery and preparation.

WFI said that wrestlers found guilty of indiscipline during the current year at the National Coaching Camp will not be permitted to participate.