Carrick slams decision to allow Haaland's goal in Manchester Derby

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has strongly criticised the officiating decision to award Erling Haaland's winning goal during his side's 1-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City.

The incident occurred at Old Trafford during a fixture which saw Enzo Maresca secure his first Manchester derby victory as head coach.

The Norway international scored the decisive goal in the 60th minute to secure all three points for the visitors.

The sequence generated immediate controversy following the involvement of Manchester City midfielder Enzo Fernández in the penalty area.

The Argentina international made a diving attempt to head the incoming cross while standing in an offside position before the ball reached Haaland.

The Video Assistant Referee reviewed the incident and determined Fernández did not interfere with an opponent's line of vision or ability to play the ball, allowing the goal to stand.

Carrick expressed total disbelief regarding the explanation provided by the match officials during his post-match media duties with Sky Sports.

"How you can say Enzo Fernandez does not interfere with the play literally is beyond me; it's staggering," Carrick stated.

"It's really weird to me how that's interpreted," the 45-year-old manager continued.

"I could not understand it when I saw it, and then the explanation made it WORSE".

The ruling ensured Manchester City claimed their first away derby victory at Old Trafford since 2022.

Maresca's tactical execution delivered the three points, successfully rebounding from a Phil Foden red card during the game to secure victory against cross-town rivals.