Ref bosses ‘finally’ break silence and admit to ‘howler’ after Haaland Manchester derby winner, tell me about this news in (https://www.football365.com/news/pro-ref-manchester-derby-howler-statement-haaland-mediawatch)
14-09-2026
This article is an edition of Football365’s satirical column, Mediawatch, which reviews and mocks how British tabloids and sports outlets report on football news.Here is a breakdown of what the article covers:
- The Headline & Referee Controversy: The title refers to coverage from The Sun regarding a refereeing decision involving an Erling Haaland winning goal in the Manchester derby. Mediawatch pokes fun at The Sun dramatically claiming referee bosses “finally” broke their silence and conceded a “howler,” pointing out that the refereeing body’s statement actually came out less than three hours after the match ended. Mediawatch also jokes about the exaggerated tabloid language, noting the officials likely never used the informal term “howler” themselves.
- Daily Express & Andoni Iraola: The column highlights a sensationalized headline claiming manager Andoni Iraola “angrily singled out” Bradley Barcola, whereas in reality, Iraola was merely answering a specific question from a reporter about Barcola before noting that the entire squad needed sharpness.
- The Mirror & Sky Sports: It mocks a story suggesting Sky Sports faces a “crisis” because Antonio Valencia claimed Gary Neville could return to management, while other departures mentioned in the press included Micah Richards leaving punditry after the 2034 World Cup and Roy Keane offhandedly mentioning he might live abroad someday.
- Mikel Arteta Dressing Room Incident: The piece points out a misleading clickbait headline stating Mikel Arteta was hit by a bottle in a dressing room confrontation, omitting that the incident occurred nine years prior when Arteta was still an assistant at Manchester City.
- Troy Parrott “Huge Prediction”: It highlights a headline promising a massive prediction about Troy Parrott’s Premier League future, which turned out to be pundit Kevin Doyle simply saying Parrott might return to England one dayor he might not.