Manchester City's victory at Anfield was a rollercoaster of emotions. Szoboszlai initially put Liverpool ahead with a direct free-kick, but the home side allowed City to equalize, with Bernardo Silva finishing after a headed assist from Haaland. In stoppage time, Haaland himself seemed to seal the game, converting a penalty to make it 2-1.
However, the drama was far from over. With goalkeeper Alisson in the opposing box, Rayan Cherki attempted a long-range shot at the empty net. As the ball rolled towards the goal line, Haaland and Szoboszlai, in a tussle, pulled each other's shirts. VAR intervened, referee Craig Pawson disallowed the goal, and the Liverpool player was sent off.
After the match, the Norwegian striker expressed sympathy for his opponent. "Of course, the referee had to follow the rules, but this will give him a three-game suspension. In the end, I feel bad for him," the former Dortmund player told Sky Sports, adding: "Give the goal, don't show the red card. Simple as that. Those are the rules and that's how it is," he stated.
The match referee, Craig Pawson, justified his decision on the pitch: "Upon review, there's a careless foul by Erling Haaland, who pulls Dominik Szoboszlai's shirt. Before that, Szoboszlai commits an offense by holding an opponent, denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. The final decision is a direct free-kick for Manchester City and a red card," he explained.
Meanwhile, pundit Gary Neville criticized VAR's intervention. "We live to see games like this. I'm a fan of VAR, but this just killed the joy. The reason fans watch football is for entertainment and for moments like that," he declared. With this dramatic victory, Pep Guardiola's side reignites their title challenge, now sitting six points behind league leaders Arsenal.