Article by Aurelian Botezatu – Published Monday, 09 February 2026, 08:48 / Updated on Monday, 09 February 2026 08:49
Liverpool lost the duel with Manchester City (1-2) in overtime and ended the game in the inferiority complex after his ejection Szoboszlai.
Dominik Szoboszlai, the author of Liverpool's goal, saw a red card in the 90th + 13th minute, after he pulled Erling Haaland's shirt, escaping towards the goal.
But when BBC reporters wanted to broach the subject of his player's removal, manager Arne Slot angrily retorted that the discussion should actually be focused on something else entirely.
Marc Guehi escaped the “red” because Mo Salah had no chance to reach the ball
The Dutch technician was very upset by a decision made by referee Craig Pawson in the 67th minute, with the score 0-0. Mo Salah had escaped towards the opposite goal, having been stopped by pulling his shirt by Marc Guehi, in front of the big box, but Pawson had only shown the “aggressor” a “yellow”.
The moment Guehi pulls Salah's shirt / Photo: capture
The incident was also reviewed in the VAR booth, and the verdict was “just a yellow card” because Salah had given the ball too far in front and had no chance to reach it. In other words, he was not in an imminent goal situation when Guehi intervened.
“Szoboszlai's dismissal? That's not the incident we should be talking about. If there's one that deserves a discussion, it's when Mo Salah is face to face with the goalkeeper. Anyone who has been in this stadium for the last seven or eight years knows that Salah does not miss in such situations. Once again, the referee ruled against us. He should do his job,” Slot complained.
Arne Slot: “Szoboszlai deserved a red card. But why not give Guehi too?”
Then, at the press conference, the Liverpool manager also commented on Szoboszlai's sending off: “I can live with the fact, although I don't like it, that the referee respects the regulation because Dominik fouls Haaland in a last defender situation. It's a clear rip of the shirt.
And Haaland had reached the goal, so he would have scored. So it's a red card. Why not do the same for Guehi? Otherwise, I think the Sunderland manager is very happy to get rid of Szoboszlai.” Sunderland next face Liverpool in the Premier League on Wednesday.
