VAR overturns involving Manchester United this season: 1 went against Manchester United (goal awarded v City), 0 in Manchester United's favour. This counts the direction of each overturn as recorded by the data feed; it is not a judgement on whether the decisions were correct. Panel verdicts, where they exist, are quoted below.
Every VAR overturn in Manchester United's games
| Date | Opponent | Score | Minute | What happened | Direction | Referee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 13 Sept | City (H) | 0-1 | 60' | Goal awarded after VAR review (Manchester City, Erling Haaland) | Against | Michael Oliver |
4 of Manchester United's 5 games had no VAR overturn recorded. Scores are home-away.
Covers every finished Premier League game up to Sunday 20 September 2026 (Matchweek 5). Updated 30 September 2026.
Incidents from Manchester United's games reviewed by the KMI panel
Votes are written as the Premier League prints them: the first figure is the number of panellists who agreed with the printed verdict.
- United v Ipswich, Sun 30 Aug, 55:55. Goal awarded. Handball appeal against Maguire (MUN). On-field decision: correct (4:1); no VAR intervention, which the panel found correct (4:1). The referee was Craig Pawson.
"Maguire's arms are within his bodyline meaning that the contact with his right arm was accidental and not a punishable handball offence given that Maguire was not the goal scorer. The shot was clearly off target and then deflected in via the defender for a clear own goal. The panel supported the referee's call to award the goal, 4:1, with one panellist considering the handball to be deliberate."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 2, published by the Premier League on 9 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
- United v Ipswich, Sun 30 Aug, 58:36. Penalty awarded. Challenge by Greaves (IPS) on Cunha (MUN). On-field decision: correct (5:0); no VAR intervention, which the panel found correct (5:0). The referee was Craig Pawson.
"The on-field call of a penalty was unanimously supported. A clear foul by Greaves on Cunha as he ran through on goal with a correct yellow card for DOGSO as it was a genuine challenge for the ball."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 2, published by the Premier League on 9 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
- United v City, Sun 13 Sept, 59:25. Goal not awarded. Haaland (MCI) in an onside position, Fernandez (MCI) in an offside position. On-field decision: incorrect, Fernandez impacting opponent (0:5); VAR overturned the on-field decision, which the panel found incorrect, clear and obvious error (0:5). The referee was Michael Oliver.
"The panel unanimously felt that the VAR intervention to award the goal was incorrect. Fernandez is in an offside position, attempts to play the ball that is close to him, and impacts the ability of the defender and the goalkeeper to play the ball in the process. A VAR review should have been recommended for a missed subjective offside in the attacking possession phase."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 4, published by the Premier League on 23 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
- United v City, Sun 13 Sept, 22:15. Sending off given. Actions of Foden (MCI) on Fernandes (MUN). On-field decision: correct (3:2); no VAR intervention, which the panel found correct (5:0). The referee was Michael Oliver.
"The panel supported the referee's call of a red card, 3:2, for the violent conduct following the retaliatory action of Foden pushing his legs into the midriff of Bruno. Two panellists felt that the action lacked the force to reach the threshold for a red card, and would have preferred a yellow card."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 4, published by the Premier League on 23 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
- United v City, Sun 13 Sept, 22:15. Sending off not given. Actions of Fernandes (MUN) on Foden (MCI). On-field decision: correct (5:0); no VAR intervention, which the panel found correct (5:0). The referee was Michael Oliver.
"The panel unanimously supported the referee's call of no red card for a potential violent conduct action by Bruno, but all felt that a yellow card would have been the appropriate punishment."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 4, published by the Premier League on 23 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
What is counted here. The data feed records that VAR intervened and what the outcome was: a goal ruled out, a goal awarded, a penalty overturned, a card upgraded. It does not record whether a decision was right, and neither does this page. "In favour" and "against" describe whose goal, penalty or card the overturn concerned. The only bodies that rule on correctness are the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel and Pro Ref, the referees' body formerly known as PGMOL; where the panel has published a verdict it is quoted with its date on the KMI panel page.
Common questions
How many VAR decisions have gone against Manchester United this season?
1 of the 1 VAR overturn recorded in Manchester United's 5 games up to 20 September 2026 concerned Manchester United's own goal, penalty or card (goal awarded v City). That is the direction of the overturn, not a verdict on it; the Premier League's panel has published verdicts on 5 incidents from Manchester United's games, quoted on this page.
Who decides whether a VAR decision was wrong?
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel, which votes on each chosen incident and publishes its verdicts about ten days after the round, and Pro Ref (formerly PGMOL) through its own statements. This site quotes both with dates and never adds a verdict of its own. See the KMI panel page.
Who has refereed Manchester United's games this season?
Every referee and the record under each is on the Manchester United referees page.