How VAR Officials Are Reassigned After a Major Premier League Error
This article explains how Premier League VAR officials are reassigned after a major error, using the Manchester derby controversy involving Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus as the example.
Who was left out and why
One week after the Manchester derby, the Premier League appointment list was notable for who was missing. Matt Donohue, the match's video assistant referee, and Blake Antrobus, his assistant VAR, were not given a game that weekend.
The decision was made by Howard Webb, Pro Ref's chief refereeing officer, and the refereeing body's management team. No public explanation detailed the full reasoning, but the timing made the message clear. The two officials had been involved in a VAR review that produced a controversial decision in the derby, and the review had gone wrong.
According to the BBC, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position and should have recommended an on-field review. That is a key part of the protocol. When a decision is unclear, the video assistant referee can advise the referee to look at the pitchside monitor. In this case, that advice was not given, and the on-field decision stood.
What the error changed
The mistake did more than alter a match. It exposed how easily the checking process can break down, even when technology is in place. VAR was introduced to catch clear and obvious errors. When VAR itself becomes the source of the error, refereeing bodies have to respond.
Leaving Donohue and Antrobus off the next set of fixtures is the standard way of showing that responsibility has been accepted. It is not equivalent to a formal disciplinary action, but in the public world of Premier League refereeing, it performs the same function. It removes the officials from the spotlight, gives the refereeing body room to review what happened, and sends a signal to clubs and fans that the mistake is being treated seriously.
Sky Sports News reported that Manchester United had received an apology over the incorrect VAR decision. That apology acknowledged the club's frustration, but it could not change the result. The pressure on manager Michael Carrick was already increasing after the defeat, and the incident only added to the sense that the derby had slipped away under disputed circumstances.
What matters most for the wider game is how the process is seen next time. If a VAR official reviews the footage correctly, recommends the on-field monitor when needed, and stands by the final decision, the system works. When those steps are missed, reassignment is the quickest available reminder that no official is above review.