LIS JUST NOT ON! - Fuming Martinez hits out at 'injustice' after controversial Man Utd decision

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez hit out at what he called an 'injustice' after Erling Haaland's opener was initially ruled offside during the Manchester derby. Martinez was positioned between Enzo Fernandez and Haaland, but the Argentine launched himself toward the ball in an attempt to meet it with a diving header.

Following a lengthy VAR review, it was determined that the Manchester City striker was onside and that Fernandez, despite standing in an offside position, had not played the ball, with Martinez defending behind him. Josko Gvardiol's shot deflected off Patrick Dorgu towards the back post, where the Norwegian finished smartly.

A tweet from the Premier League Match Centre said: "#MUNMCI – 59’ VAR OVERTURN. 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."

The rules state that an opponent will be penalised for interfering with play if they clearly attempt to play a nearby ball in a way that impacts an opponent, or if they make an obvious action that affects an opponent's ability to play the ball.

However, Martinez did not agree with the decision to overturn the offside call.

"I think he was offside," the Argentine told Sky Sports post match. "What I can't understand is the rules, you know? He was there, I went to him because he was in front of me that's why Haaland was free but I want to be calm now, I want to control myself.

"So hard because you lost the derby, three points at home. Every time they come to our club, they explain one hour, hour and a half with the rules then after five or six people doing this kind of mistake in the PL is unacceptable. You have the best players, best teams in the world and now we have to go home with this injustice.

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"For sure, it's difficult. I have two players there and I was 50/50, had to take the first guy in front. Simple as that (if Enzo isn't there goes to Haaland), let's see what they have to say, let's see, I want to hear what their decision is. Based off what? I want to hear it."

United head coach Michael Carrick also slammed the decision that cost them a 1-0 defeat to City. He said: "Confused, not even confused, we've put things in place to help referees' decisions, screens, referees in an office somewhere. It's more worrying about if that's the interpretation about football.

"If we've got people in place that are meant to understand a game of football or not interfering with play or impacting an attack, throwing your body at it with a defender next to him, it's really worrying for me. It's a staggering decision. I can't understand it once I seen it then the explanation makes it worse.

"The explanation that he's not interfering with play. Incredible. It's not going to change a season, it's a major impact on the game and it's a massive game. It's a long season ahead, we've got to get back to winning football matches, that's on us, that (decision) wasn't on us today."

On Sky Sports commentary, Gary Neville was baffled as the still images suggested Haaland was behind the last defender. "I'm going to need the offside law explaining to me, it's lost me," he said.

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"The question is does Enzo Fernandez put off Lisandro Martinez? I think he does because he sort of hesitates. I do think when they look back, they'll recognise they got it wrong," before adding: "Well VAR looked at this for a long, long time. They say Haaland's onside from Dorgu's foot, from where we were didn't look the case but Dorgu's foot is deeper."

The Premier League Match Centre on X later confirmed that this was the case following the decision.