Liverpool’s game against Manchester City ended in dramatic fashion when Dominik Szoboszlai was shown a red card for denying Erling Haaland a chance to score. The striker has now given his opinion on the decision to send off the opponent.
The Hungarian had put the Reds in the lead in the second half with a fantastic free-kick, but Bernardo Silva managed to find the equaliser six minutes before the end of normal time. Things then got even worse for the hosts, when Haaland scored a penalty after Alisson fouled Matheus Nunes in the penalty area.
Liverpool 1 – Manchester City 2
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Although this would have been drama enough for the spectators, the match ended in a bizarre way. City broke quickly after Alisson had moved up the pitch to help his teammates find a late goal, with Rayan Cherki poking the ball towards the goal. Haaland, who ran through to secure the third goal, was then dragged back by Szoboszlai, before pulling the midfielder back himself, causing both men to tumble to the ground as the ball rolled over the goal line.
While the away fans were celebrating, VAR chose to intervene and sent referee Craig Pawson to the screen for a review. The Premier League has since clarified that Szoboszlai had fouled his opponent outside the box before Haaland’s actions nullified the advantage play, leading to a free kick and a red card for Liverpool.
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Haaland gives his reaction to Szoboszlai’s sending off and disallowed goal
Haaland spoke to Sky Sports after the game alongside fellow goalscorer Silva and was inevitably asked about the decision to nullify the goal and show Szoboszlai a red card.
The Norwegian, who reacted to the ruling, stated that although he accepted that the decision was made according to the rule book, he would have preferred that the goal had stood and that Szoboszlai had been allowed to stay on the pitch.
He said, “Of course the referee had to follow the rules, but this will give him three games, in the end I feel sorry for him because he gets three games.
Just give the goal, don’t give a red card. It’s as simple as that, but I guess that’s the rules.”
Pep Guardiola also wanted the goal to stand
Haaland may well have wanted the goal to stand, but it was a wish that also applied to his manager. Pep Guardiola was also asked about the chaos at the end of the game, and the Spaniard replied: “Come on referee, give the goal and go home!”
Manchester City’s head coach added in his post-match press conference: “Common sense, right?! We won the game, and now Szoboszlai can’t play. I know he dragged him, but there are a lot of tackles like that in a game where the referee says ‘play on’, ‘play on’, ‘play on’?
In this country, in this league, it has ALWAYS been like this… ‘Play on, play on!’. So just give a goal, 1-3, Szoboszlai can play, and we’re happy!”
