Dominik Szoboszlai will miss Liverpool's next match after fouling Manchester City star Erling Haaland late with Liverpool already out of reach in a 2-1 home loss
18:38, 08 Feb 2026Updated 19:09, 08 Feb 2026
Dominik Szoboszlai
Dominik Szoboszlai's late foul on Erling Haaland earned him a red card(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool's deputizing right-back Dominik Szoboszlai was sent off in the dying embers of injury time against Manchester City after tugging Erling Haaland's jersey with the hulking striker through on goal.
Szoboszlai's stunning second-half free-kick put the Reds up 1-0, but two late goals from the Cityzens turned the match around. His foul on Haaland prevented the goal, but the short-lived pyrrhic victory means that the Hungarian international is now set to miss Liverpool's next Premier League match (away at Sunderland).
With Liverpool trailing 2-1 and hoping for a late equalizer, Alisson wandered from his box and into the attacking third. The Reds lost possession, and City's Rayan Cherki — once a Liverpool target — picked up the ball and attempted to roll it in from midfield.
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Cherki's shot approached the Liverpool net in slow motion, allowing both Haaland and Szoboszlai to wind up in a dead sprint for the ball.
The Norwegian striker had a slight head start, so Szoboszlai tugged the City star's jersey to slow him down. The Liverpool deputy right-back caught up to Haaland, and the Premier League's top scorer then held Szoboszlai in the same fashion. The theatrics didn't matter: Cherki's shot rolled into the empty net.
Dominik Szoboszlai
Szoboszlai is set to miss three domestic fixtures after the red card(Image: Getty Images)
The play went to a lengthy VAR review, and both men were adjudged to have committed fouls. Szoboszlai's meant he earned a red card, and Haaland's meant the goal was ruled off.
Haaland's foul didn't matter: the match resumed with just 15 seconds left of injury time. The Reds hardly had a touch, and the match finished 2-1, leaving Liverpool five points behind Manchester United for fourth in the league table.
Dominik Szoboszlai
Szoboszlai's (shooting) 74th minute free-kick put the Reds up 1-0(Image: Getty Images)
The Manchester City striker was asked about the incident during his post-match interview with Sky Sports.
"For me, the referee has to follow the rules, but in the end, he gets three games (suspended)," Haaland admitted. "I feel bad for him." Szoboszlai's ban will actually see him miss one match.
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Szobszlai has been filling in at right-back for Liverpool with both Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong out with long-term injuries.
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The Hungarian appeared to limp into the tunnel at halftime, prompting both Calvin Ramsay and Wataru Endo to conduct more strenuous-than-usual warmups during the break in case they needed to come on.
Szoboszlai's free-kick goal was his fourth of the season for Liverpool, with his first coming in a memorable 1-0 home win over Arsenal in August when the Reds were still thought to be title challengers. Now, coach Arne Slot's side are 17 points off the top of the table.