Fresh advantage law dispute erupts after Szoboszlai red card

 

 

Liverpool’s late loss to Manchester City is still causing major debate, with former PGMOL chief executive Keith Hackett questioning the red card shown to Dominik Szoboszlai at Anfield.

The Hungarian was dismissed in stoppage time for allegedly denying Erling Haaland a clear goalscoring chance — even though the ball ended up in the net seconds later.

That decision has already ruled Szoboszlai out of Wednesday night’s trip to Sunderland, but Hackett believes the laws may not have been applied correctly.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett said the key issue is whether referee Craig Pawson played advantage before coming back to punish the foul.

“We need to go back and examine law and advantage,” Hackett explained. “If the referee applies an advantage for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, the player should be cautioned, not sent off.”

His argument is based on Law 12, which states that if advantage is played after a DOGSO offence and a goal is scored, the punishment should be reduced to a yellow card.

In this case, Rayan Cherki’s long-range strike crossed the line before VAR stepped in. Pawson later disallowed the goal and returned to the original foul — and Hackett believes that sequence is crucial.

“The question that needs to be answered is whether advantage was applied,” he added. “If so, the player should have been yellow carded, not red carded.”

The controversy has only added to Liverpool’s frustration, especially given Szoboszlai’s overall performance. The midfielder played the full 90 minutes, scored a brilliant free-kick, won 15 ground duels, made eight recoveries, and led Liverpool’s pressing as the Reds pinned City back for long spells (via Sofascore).

Hackett is not the only one raising concerns. Both Haaland and Pep Guardiola showed sympathy for Szoboszlai after the match, with Guardiola insisting that common sense should have taken over if the goal had stood.

However, former referee Dermot Gallagher disagreed, arguing that once the goal was disallowed, VAR had no option but to return to the original offence.

That split opinion reflects the wider confusion over how advantage and VAR should work together in high-pressure moments.

For Liverpool, the issue now is also practical. Szoboszlai’s suspension leaves Slot short ahead of a tough midweek trip to Sunderland, with momentum once again hit by a refereeing decision that is likely to be debated long after the final whistle.

Whether Hackett’s view is accepted or not, one thing is clear: the Szoboszlai red card was far from straightforward — and Liverpool may feel they’ve paid a bigger price than the laws truly required.