Referee Howard Webb has given his thoughts on Dominik Szoboszlai’s controversial sending off late in Manchester City’s win over Liverpool at Anfield.
Craig Pawson sends off Szoboszlai after VAR review (Image: Getty Images)
Manager Howard Webb insisted referee Craig Pawson was right to send off Domink Szoboszlai, despite it “ruining one of the moments of the season”.
Liverpool star Szoboszlai was given his marching orders after Rayan Cherki had a late goal ruled out following a scuffle with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
City still won 2-1 at Anfield, but the furore over the second-half canceled goal caused a huge backlash, with Sky pundit Gary Neville claiming that the officials were spoiling the match.
Neville said: “I think it’s very unfair. I know there are rules, but the smell of the game has completely disappeared.
“No one will disown that goal, but it will be disallowed. Talk about Killjoy. Liverpool lose because they get sent off. City lose because they can’t score. You just ruined one of the moments of the season.”
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It was also revealed that Pawson initially conceded the goal because he “didn’t see” Haaland foul Szoboszlai during the build-up.
VAR intervened and ruled the goal disallowed due to a clear foul on Haaland, Szoboszlai failed to clear the ball and the Liverpool midfielder was given a red for denying a clear scoring opportunity.
Speaking to the refereeing team during the match, referee Pawson said: “The decision on the field is the goal. Erling Haaland has his first foul.”
He then continued with the VAR results: “There’s a clear foul on Erling Haaland, and then there’s a clear foul on the defender. We can’t allow this goal because of the foul. We can’t ignore it because there’s a clear foul on the defender.”
“But just before that there was a clear free-kick and there was a DOGSO. That’s why Erling Haaland didn’t get on the edge of the ball. So it’s a DOGSO. That’s an on-field review. We cancel the goal and recommend a review of the DOGSO by Szoboszlai.”
Pawson, who was beckoned to a screen to reflect on the incident, was shown Szoboszlai pulling Haaland and replied: “That was a counterattack. That was my advantage, yeah.”
VAR then said: “But we cannot take advantage and ignore this, because there is a clear holding offense in the defence. So we have to disallow the goal due to the holding of the defender, give Manchester City a free kick and give Szoboszlai a red card for DOGSO.” Pawson replied: “Oh, I didn’t see that.”
Szoboszlai is sent off for a foul on Erling Haaland (Image: Getty Images)
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“Officiating at Premier League level requires a sense and understanding of the game and you try to apply common sense as much as possible, but there are limits to that,” Webb told Match Officials Mic’d Up.
“This goal only went into the goal because Erling Haaland pulled Szoboszlai and was unable to clear the ball.
“The referee first tried to take advantage when Szoboszlai pulled Haaland and was waiting to see what would happen. And of course if the ball went directly into the goal, it was a good advantage and we awarded the goal.”
“But the ball went into the goal because Haaland clearly committed a foul against Szoboszlai. We can’t ignore that. So we can’t just concede the advantage, because it was gained thanks to Haaland’s actions.”
“So we have to go back to the first attack, which is the attack in which Szoboszlai pulled Haaland. It was outside the penalty area and denied an obvious scoring opportunity, so a free kick was awarded and Szoboszlai was sent off.”
“He appealed this foul on Haaland and it was a foul so he was right to appeal. But unfortunately for him he committed the first offense that should have been penalized and in the end with the use of VAR we clearly got to the right position.”
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