Why Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai was sent off in wild end to Manchester City win as Arne Slot says Marc Guehi should have seen red

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Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to six points after a 2-1 comeback win over Liverpool at Anfield. The result looked unlikely when Dominik Szoboszlai's free-kick gave the hosts the lead but Bernardo Silva levelled before Erling Haaland's 92nd-minute penalty completed the comeback. Szoboszlai was then sent off for the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Slot reflects on Man City defeat with 'anger and disappointment'

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Some described referee Craig Pawson as a killjoy. Others claimed the match official was merely abiding by the letter of the law. What resonated across both sides of the raging debate was the universal feeling that nobody had won - save for perhaps Arsenal fans with one eye on goal difference.

The frenetic ending to Manchester City's 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield means Pep Guardiola's side are back to within six points of the Premier League summit. The dramatic denouement looked light-years away from what was served up during an error-strewn first half which displayed precisely why these northern counterparts have struggled to keep pace with Mikel Arteta's men.

In truth, they both looked a pale imitation of the title-winning behemoths who have dominated the Premier League for the best part of a decade.

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But after Dominik Szoboszlai's vengeful swipe of his right boot left Gianluigi Donnarumma statuesque to break the deadlock 16 minutes from time, a football game broke out.

All of a sudden, Man City raised their game. In particular, their senior, serial winners rose to the occasion. First, Bernardo Silva anticipated Erling Haaland's knockdown to slide home the equaliser.

Manchester City celebrate wildly after snatching victory at Anfield

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Then, with 92 minutes on the clock, after Alisson Becker felled Matheus Nunes inside the box, it was Haaland who dusted himself down and overcame his own demons having missed from 12 yards against Liverpool in the reverse fixture back in November.

The cathartic scenes of celebration in one corner of the Anfield Road end depicted the outpouring of emotions from so many who had borne witness to damaging defeats here down the years, where even Covid denied them of attending the 4-1 victory in February 2021.

This was the first time since 1937 that City had completed a league double over Liverpool, but of course the drama did not end there. Donnarumma made a stupendous one-handed save to keep out Alexis Mac Allister's deflected strike.

With Alisson committing himself forward in the attack, City broke clear and Rayan Cherki tried his luck from inside his own half. Lacking in power, his pea-roller was more like a starting gun as Haaland and Szoboszlai hared off in pursuit.

Erling Haaland's penalty proved the difference on Sunday

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The pace of the Norwegian was too much for his former RB Salzburg team-mate. Szoboszlai pulled at his shirt to steal a march, then Haaland responded with an even more blatant tug. It was like watching two competitive brothers at a school's sports day.

Almost everyone could see the joyful side of two competitors locked in battle, as Cherki's strike comically trickled over the line - but not Pawson, nor his Video Assistant Referee John Brooks as it began to dawn on everyone that technology was about to have its say.

"After review," a breathless Pawson explained to the stadium. "There is a careless foul by Erling Haaland, that pulls the shirt of Dominik Szoboszlai.

"Prior to that, Szoboszlai commits a holding offence that denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity. The final decision is a direct free-kick to Manchester City and a red card [for Szoboszlai]."

Haaland, with his arms outstretched, chased after the referee calling for common sense. Szoboszlai, with a rueful grin on his face, trudged down the tunnel having removed his shirt.

Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, Haaland could afford a more relaxed assessment of the incident, with the overall outcome of the result not affected, although he was not aware of the length of Szoboszlai's upcoming ban which rules him out of just the trip to Sunderland on Wednesday - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

"Of course, the referee has to follow the rules," said Haaland, who had finally ended his wait for a goal at Anfield. "But this decision will give Szoboszlai a three-game ban [only a one-match ban], so I feel bad for him.

"I just think don't give the red card, give the goal, don't give a three-match ban but it's the rules. This is just how it is. Rayan Cherki passed me the ball so I could score but he didn't want me to. That's just how it is."

Pep: Just give the goal | Slot: Guehi should have seen red

Perhaps the most annoyed by the whole affair might have been Cherki, but Pawson made sure the decision would not prove extremely controversial as he blew for full-time almost as soon as he could once play resumed.

Guardiola had gone through the full range of emotions on the touchline, re-enacting Donnarumma's dive to deny Mac Allister, apoplectic at the decision to disallow Cherki's strike, but ultimately beaming from having finally won at Liverpool in front of fans.

Marc Guehi was only booked for a foul on Mohamed Salah

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Speaking to BBC's Match of the Day, the Catalan joined the calls for Pawson to have just awarded the goal in an incident which again placed further spotlight on VAR.

"Come on referee, give the goal and go home," came Guardiola's concise assessment of the incident. "Common sense, no? I know he pulls him, but how many pulls are in a game and the referees play on, in this country, in this league? Give a goal, 3-1, Szoboszlai can play and we are happy."

His Liverpool counterpart Arne Slot, on the other hand, was more interested in deflecting matters on to an earlier altercation with the game still scoreless.

Marc Guehi was booked for pulling Mohamed Salah's shirt but Pawson only brandished a yellow card despite the City centre-back appearing to be the last defender.

When asked for his views on Szoboszlai's red card during his post-match interview with the BBC, the Liverpool boss said: "That is not the incident we should talk about. Maybe he should have left it for a goal as it is, but if that is the rule that is what we have to accept.

"If there is any incident we should talk about, it's when Mo Salah is one on one with the goalkeeper. Anyone who has been to this stadium in the last seven or eight years, that is a goal for Salah. Once again, the referee decides not in our favour. They have to do their job."

Later in his press conference, Slot added: "I can live with the fact that the referee follows the rulebook as Dominik makes a foul on Haaland, that's a clear shirt pull so that's a red card. I think the Sunderland manager [Regis Le Bris] is really happy he gives a red card.

"If you follow the rulebook, you have a shirt pull. For eight years, Salah has scored that type of goal almost 100 times out of 100 - a bit exaggerating. But there's not a red card. That's more my frustration."

Silva: Title race would've been over if we'd lost

With Liverpool now victorious only once in their past seven league matches, a whopping 17 points off Arsenal, the inquest into how Slot's side surrendered another position of control to lose in stoppage time for the fourth time this season will rumble through to their next game, the ominous task of becoming the first visiting Premier League team to win at the Stadium of Light this term.

Bernardo Silva was superb as Man City fought back to win

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For City, this felt significant. Bernardo, as so often has been the case, was their standout performer.

The turnover in playing staff these past 18 months reflects a team in transition, with many yet to taste silverware. Guardiola is building again, for himself or to leave things in good hands for his successor.

But in Bernardo, City still retain one of their current manager's crown jewels and it was the Portuguese who hauled them off the canvas to breathe life back into their title charge.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Bernardo admitted it was now or never in their bid to overtake Arsenal.

"For me, coming to Anfield is the toughest place in the Premier League by far," he said. "Usually, for most teams, a draw is not a bad result, but we needed to go for another goal. When I scored, I was happy as we were back in the game but we needed another one and Erling got us that one.

"This win counts just as much as any other three points, but it has been frustrating since the beginning of this year. In my opinion, we haven't done our job properly, and we could be much closer to Arsenal.

"But today we're very happy, so for me to get our first win here in nine seasons apart from the Covid year, you must imagine how tough it is to win here, so I'm really happy.

"I think the whole team knew before this game that, had we lost, the title race probably would have been over. Arsenal are still in a much better position than we are, but we felt like we needed to win this game.

"It puts us a bit closer, the hope is there, and we're going to fight until the end, but six points is still six points. We have to keep doing our job, which we haven't lately."

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