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AHighly CredibleSport🇬🇧UK⚠ Coverage gap9/14/2026, 6:00:38 PM
Manchester Derby VAR Officials Omitted from Upcoming Premier League Appointments

Manchester Derby VAR Officials Omitted from Upcoming Premier League Appointments

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Matt Donohue and assistant Blake Antrobus have not been assigned to any Premier League matches for the upcoming weekend. This follows their recent officiating duties during the Manchester derby.

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Following the conclusion of the recent Manchester derby, the Premier League has confirmed that the match's VAR team, Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus, will not be officiating any games during the upcoming weekend schedule. The decision to exclude these officials from the next round of fixtures has been noted by sports media, though the league has not issued a formal statement linking the omission to specific performance reviews or disciplinary action.

In the context of Premier League officiating, it is common for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to rotate staff; however, the absence of officials from the following week's roster after high-profile matches often draws public scrutiny. While the BBC reports the factual absence of these individuals from the upcoming appointments, the report does not clarify whether this is a standard rotation, a scheduled break, or a direct response to the officiating standards observed during the derby. As of now, no further details regarding the reasoning behind the selection process for the weekend's matches have been provided by the league authorities.

📡 Media Analysis

How each outlet framed the story — angles, word choices, and what they chose to push or ignore.

BBC SportCenterA+

Stated the facts of the personnel change without speculating on the cause.

"not appointed"

"not appointed"

🔍 What Nobody's Reporting

  • ·Lack of official comment from PGMOL regarding whether this is a standard rotation or a response to performance.
  • ·Absence of context regarding the specific controversial incidents, if any, that occurred during the derby.

📰 Sources

1 A-rated source(s) among 1 total. Lowest trust: BBC Sport (A)