Are Man City out off the Premier League title race? (2:16)ESPN FC’s Janusz Michallik reacts to Manchester United’s stunning 2-0 victory over Manchester City in the Premier League. (2:16)
Andy Davies, Special to ESPNJan 17, 2026, 11:30 AM ET
Video assistant referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made and are they correct?
Andy Davies (@andydaviesref) is a former Select Group referee, with over 12 seasons on the elite list, working across the Premier League and Championship. With extensive experience at the elite level, he has operated within the VAR space in the Premier League and offers a unique insight into the processes, rationale and protocols that are delivered on a Premier League matchday.
What happened: Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot was late with a challenge on Jérémy Doku, catching the Manchester City attacker high on the knee. The on-field decision from referee Anthony Taylor was a yellow card, confirmed by VAR Craig Pawson.
Verdict: Without doubt, this will be a major talking point of this derby match — especially as it was just 10 minutes in, and United went on to win the game.
Having watched the replays, Pawson would have felt uncomfortable given the nature of the challenge. However, considering the timing of the incident, he would not have felt that the replays offered enough evidence to recommend an on-field review and would have worked hard to make the pictures concur with the on-field decision of yellow card as opposed to red.
I feel for Pawson and understand his rationale in this situation, but I believe a red card would be expected in this incident. The nature of the challenge was dangerous, completely unnecessary and certainly endangered the safety of his opponent.
Are Man City out off the Premier League title race? (2:16)ESPN FC’s Janusz Michallik reacts to Manchester United’s stunning 2-0 victory over Manchester City in the Premier League. (2:16)
ESPN FC’s Janusz Michallik reacts to Manchester United’s stunning 2-0 victory over Manchester City in the Premier League. (2:16)
Referee: Anthony Taylor VAR: Craig Pawson Time: 10 minutes Incident: Red card challenge