The latest edition of Ref Watch dived straight into the weekend’s most talked-about moment: the last-minute VAR intervention during the high-stakes clash between Liverpool and Manchester City.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher sat down to break down the decision-making process that left players, managers, and fans—including Erling Haaland—completely baffled.
The Incident: Goal Disallowed and Szoboszlai Red Card
In the dying moments at Anfield, Manchester City appeared to have netted a third goal. However, following a lengthy VAR review, the goal was sensationally overturned.
The fallout was twofold: the goal was ruled out, and Liverpool midfielder Dominic Szoboszlai was shown a straight red card, with a free-kick awarded to City. The decision sparked a social media firestorm, with Haaland publicly questioning why the goal wasn’t simply allowed to stand.
Dermot Gallagher’s Analysis: Why the Goal Couldn’t Stand
According to Gallagher, the sequence of events forced the officials’ hands due to the nature of the fouls involved.
“The referee sees the foul and lets play go on because he thinks there will be a goal,” Gallagher explained. “Szoboszlai certainly gets fouled, but the referee misses the second phase because O’Reilly blocks his vision.”
Gallagher clarified that once VAR intervened, the referee had to address the initial infraction.
- The Foul: Szoboszlai was fouled, preventing the goal.
- The Red Card: Because the foul denied Erling Haaland a clear goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO), the rules mandated a red card.
- The Result: You cannot award a goal if a foul occurred in the immediate build-up that wasn’t “played through” successfully.
The Pundit’s View: Jay Bothroyd Blasts ‘Punishment’ of Liverpool
Former striker Jay Bothroyd took a more pragmatic—and frustrated—view of the officiating, arguing that the decision lacked “common sense.”
“It didn’t change the outcome—Man City were already winning,” Bothroyd argued. “I’m not even sure Szoboszlai could have stopped the ball from going in. The only team punished here is Liverpool because Szoboszlai is now going to miss games. It was a great game; they should have just let it go.”
