Premier League legend Alan Shearer has launched a scathing attack on match officials, labelling their decision not to send off Manchester United's Diogo Dalot during Saturday's derby as "nonsense" and "ridiculous".
Controversial Challenge Mars United Victory
Manchester United secured a notable 2-0 victory against rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime, January 17, 2026. However, the match's narrative was heavily influenced by a major incident occurring just 11 minutes into the contest.
United defender Diogo Dalot made a lunging challenge on City winger Jeremy Doku, missing the ball completely and planting his studs high on the Belgian's leg. Despite the forceful nature of the tackle, which left Doku on the ground, referee Michael Oliver showed only a yellow card.
The Video Assistant Referee system reviewed the incident but upheld the on-field decision. The Premier League's official Match Centre later explained the reasoning, stating the contact was deemed a 'glancing' impact and not delivered with 'excessive force'.
Pundits Unite in Fury Over VAR Verdict
This explanation incensed former England captain Alan Shearer, who was analysing the game for BBC's Match of the Day. "There's no doubt about it," Shearer asserted. "It's as clear a red card as you're going to see. They came out with 'deemed to be glancing.' That is nonsense."
Shearer elaborated on his anger, emphasising the danger of the challenge. "That is as straight, as full on, as high and as dangerous as you're going to see. He's endangering the opponent. It's a straight red card. I understand why the referee hasn't given it, but you've got two guys on VAR who don't think that is dangerous? That's ridiculous."
Shearer was far from alone in his assessment. Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney concurred, stating, "Initially I thought it wasn't but when you watch it back I think it's the clearest red card you'll ever see. What's worrying is that VAR don't see that."
The critical consensus extended to Sky Sports, where former Manchester United captain Roy Keane said, "To me, I'm no expert on red cards, but I think it's a red." Ex-City defender Micah Richards was even more forthright: "He's on top of his knee. That's as clear a red card as you're going to see. What more do you want for a red card? Studs on the knee. It's a red card."
Guardiola Refuses to Blame Defeat on Decision
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola tactfully addressed the controversy in his post-match comments. While seeming to acknowledge the incident could have been judged differently, he refused to use it as an excuse for his team's performance.
"You could say that, you could say that red card, different game," Guardiola admitted. "Many, many situations happen. It is easy for me to come here and say it should be a red card. It is not about that; we will not grow up if that is the argument to win or lose a game."
He concluded by insisting his team must look inward, saying, "We have to look at ourselves. There are some teams that won 10v11. Maybe we wouldn't have won."
The decision and the subsequent unified criticism from some of the game's most respected figures have ignited a fresh debate about the consistency and application of VAR in the Premier League, overshadowing what was otherwise a significant result for Manchester United.
