Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has been handed a one-match suspension after being sent off in Sunday's Premier League clash with Manchester City at Anfield. The red card, issued by referee Craig Pawson following a VAR review, came in the final seconds of the match for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
The incident occurred when City's Erling Haaland was pulled back by Szoboszlai as he chased a loose ball towards Liverpool's goal. Haaland then appeared to foul Szoboszlai, but the ball crossed the line. Pawson, after consulting VAR, awarded a free-kick for the initial foul and sent off Szoboszlai, rather than giving a goal.
Both managers offered contrasting views. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said: “Common sense no? We won the game [but] now Dominik Szoboszlai cannot play. Give a goal, 3-1, Szoboszlai can play and we are happy.” Liverpool manager Arne Slot stated: “I can live with the fact, although I don’t like it, that the referee follows the rulebook. Dominik makes a foul on Haaland in that last situation, which is a clear shirt-pull and he was through to goal so he would have scored. So that’s a red card.”
Haaland himself commented: “Just give the goal, don’t give a red card. Simple as that.” Pundits including Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney criticised the decision, with Neville calling it a “killjoy” that “killed one of the great moments”. However, the decision was defended as correct under the laws of the game, with the argument that fouls do not cancel out and that allowing the goal would create unfair incentives.
Szoboszlai will miss Liverpool's midweek trip to Sunderland on Wednesday as a result of the suspension.
