Manchester Derby VAR Officials Omitted from Weekend Appointments

Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus, the VAR officials for the Manchester derby, have not been appointed to oversee any Premier League matches this weekend.

The decision means neither Donohue, the video assistant referee for the fixture, nor Antrobus, his assistant VAR, will be involved in the next round of Premier League appointments. Their omission follows their work on the Manchester derby and places the officials at the centre of attention around the league’s match-selection process.

Officials left out of weekend appointments

Donohue served as VAR for the derby, with Antrobus operating as assistant VAR. Both positions form part of the officiating team responsible for reviewing significant incidents during a match and supporting the on-field referee when a possible clear and obvious error is identified.

For this weekend, however, neither official has been selected for a Premier League fixture in either role. The BBC’s report identifies the absence from the published appointments but does not state that the pair have been suspended, removed from duty or subject to any formal disciplinary action.

That distinction is important. A decision not to appoint an official for a particular weekend does not, by itself, establish the reason for the omission. It may reflect the normal process of rotating officials, the wider appointments calendar or an assessment of availability. No explanation beyond their non-selection has been provided in the information available from the primary report.

Focus on the VAR team

VAR officials work away from the pitch but can have a decisive influence on how major incidents are reviewed. Their responsibilities include checking incidents involving goals, penalties, straight red cards and mistaken identity, while the assistant VAR helps with the review process and communication between the video operation and the referee.

The Manchester derby carries an unusually high level of public interest, making the performance of every member of the match team subject to close scrutiny. Any decision connected with the fixture can therefore generate attention beyond the stadium, particularly when the officials involved are subsequently absent from the next set of league appointments.

Donohue and Antrobus will not be part of that weekend’s Premier League officiating picture, meaning the league’s remaining VAR and assistant VAR officials will cover the available fixtures. The change affects only the appointments identified for this weekend; it does not confirm any longer-term decision about either official’s future involvement.

What the omission means

The immediate fact is straightforward: the VAR and assistant VAR from the Manchester derby have no Premier League match this weekend. The development may invite questions about whether their performance in the derby was reviewed, but the available information does not provide a finding or link the appointments decision to a specific incident.

• Matt Donohue was the VAR for the Manchester derby.
• Blake Antrobus was the assistant VAR for the fixture.
• Neither official has been appointed for a Premier League match this weekend.
• No formal sanction or reason for the omission has been stated in the primary report.

The appointments decision will consequently be watched for what it does—and does not—reveal. Unless further information is issued, the confirmed position remains that both officials have been left out of the weekend schedule, without an accompanying explanation of whether that reflects routine planning or a response to the derby.

For now, the story is limited to their absence from duty rather than any confirmed disciplinary measure. Donohue and Antrobus are not appointed for this weekend’s Premier League games, and the reason for that decision remains undisclosed.