The audio between the referee and the video assistant referee during Manchester City’s disallowed goal at Liverpool earlier this month has been released. Rayan Cherki thought he had scored to make it 3-1 and cap a memorable victory for the Cityzens, but a scuffle between Dominik Szoboszlai and Erling Haaland saw the goal chalked off and the Hungarian dismissed.
City produced a thrilling comeback to beat Liverpool at Anfield earlier this month. Szoboszlai had opened the scoring with a trademark free-kick from distance, but Bernardo Silva equalised before Haaland netted a stoppage-time penalty to hand Guardiola’s side all three points.
It looked as though the visitors would get a third goal when Cherki rolled the ball towards an empty net, with Reds goalkeeper Alisson stranded after going up for a set piece. Szoboszlai and Haaland jostled as they attempted to get to the ball, but both players ended up on the turf as it trickled over the line.
While many fans assumed the goal would be allowed to stand, the officials instead deliberated over the footage and decided to disallow it, with Szoboszlai shown a red card.
The reasoning behind disallowing the goal and sending Szoboszlai off has now been revealed on the latest episode of Match Officials Mic’d Up.
During the incident, VAR John Brooks said: “We have a clear foul on the defender, so we can’t ignore it…There’s a clear foul here on Erling Haaland, which means he cannot get to the ball, ok?”
Pawson responded: “Yeah, that’s the pull back. That’s the one I played advantage on, yeah.”
Brooks replied: “But then we cannot play advantage and ignore this because there is a clear holding offence on the defender [Szoboszlai], there.”
Pawson then said, “Ah, I didn’t see that,” before chalking the goal off and sending Szoboszlai off.
Speaking on Match Officials Mic’d Up, PGMO Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb said: “I’ve heard lots of people say that, ‘Can you not just ignore the two and just allow the goal?’
“To referee at Premier League level, you need a feel for the game and an understanding, and we try to apply common sense where possible, but there’s a limit to that.
“The ball only goes in the goal because Erling Haaland pulls Szoboszlai, preventing him from being able to clear the ball, so we can’t allow that goal to stand for that reason.
“The referee tried to play an advantage when Szoboszlai initially pulls Haaland and he waits to see what happens and if the ball goes straight to the goal – that’s a good advantage and we give the goal.
“But the ball only goes into the goal because Haaland clearly commits an offence on Szoboszlai. We can’t ignore that; we can’t therefore just allow the advantage because it’s only accrued because of that action by Haaland, so we have to go right back to the initial offence, which is the one by Szoboszlai pulling Haaland.
“It’s outside the penalty area, it denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity so a free-kick is given and Szoboszlai is sent off.
“He was appealing for this foul by Haaland. He was right to appeal because it was a foul, but unfortunately for him, he’s committed an initial offence that has to be penalised, and we end up in what is clearly the right place through the use of VAR.”
The victory on Merseyside is part of a five-game winning streak City have put together as they aim to finish the season strongly. There are chances to scoop silverware in all four of the competitions they remain in, but the Premier League title race remains dramatically poised after the past weekend’s set of results. Leaders Arsenal made light work of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur a day after City had overcome Newcastle United, with the gap between the two teams sitting at five points.
However, City do hold a game in hand over the Gunners, meaning the end of the season is perfectly set up to provide plenty of drama before the final gameweek, with the two teams still to play each other in both the Carabao Cup final and for the second time in the Premier League.
