Dominik Szoboszlai's red card: Did the ref and VAR make the right call in the Liverpool vs. Manchester City match?
During a late Liverpool set-piece, with Alisson stranded upfield, Rayan Cherki kicked the ball towards an empty net from inside his own half. Haaland, chasing the ball, was clearly going to outpace Szoboszlai. The City striker had already overtaken Szoboszlai 25 yards from goal and seemed destined to score. However, Szoboszlai was fouled, and the referee, Craig Pawson, played the advantage.
As the ball rolled towards the goal, Szoboszlai, still jostling with Haaland, was about to slide in and clear it off the line. But before he could, Haaland pulled him back, preventing Szoboszlai from keeping the ball out of the net. The first foul by Szoboszlai and Haaland's subsequent action must be separated. It's highly likely that Szoboszlai would have prevented the goal if he hadn't been fouled.
Given this, the goal should be disallowed. Pawson played the advantage, and if Szoboszlai had been allowed to clear the ball, the play would have been stopped, and he would have been sent off. This would have resulted in no goal and a red card for Szoboszlai for denying an obvious scoring opportunity.
Without Haaland's pull, it's hard to argue against the goal being disallowed. This isn't the first or last time VAR has correctly disallowed a goal, causing controversy. While the goal could be crucial for Manchester City, it could also be vital for Liverpool. The VAR's decision, though ultimately correct, divided the crowd.
Gary Neville, a former Manchester United defender, called it "unjust" and a "killjoy." He argued that the moment's joy was killed, as fans watch for such moments. However, Roy Keane, a former Manchester United captain, saw it as adding to the drama and described it as "great."
Haaland, the City forward, expressed sympathy for Szoboszlai, stating that the referee must follow the rules. He believes the goal should have been awarded without the red card. Pep Guardiola, the City boss, simply told BBC Match of the Day, "Come on, referee, give the goal and go home."
