Ian Doyle with the main talking point from Liverpool's Premier League clash against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday afternoon
Liverpool's Hungarian midfielder #08 Dominik Szoboszlai (R) fouls Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland (L) which resulted in a red card at the end of the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on February 8, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
Dominik Szoboszlai fouls Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, which eventually resulted in a red card for the stand-in Liverpool right-back
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Dominik Szoboszlai departed the field in additional time with his shirt off while greeted by rousing applause from the home supporters. But had the Liverpool man been told the circumstances and context just 20 minutes earlier, he surely wouldn’t have believed it.
It was that kind of bewildering afternoon when Szoboszlai turned from hero to – at least of sorts – villain as what was set to be another firm step in the right direction instead further cranked the pressure up on Reds boss Arne Slot with a Champions League qualification berth now in danger of slipping out of view.
Having drawn the sting from Manchester City during a tense first half, Liverpool ramped up the intensity after the break and were well worthy of the lead given to them 16 minutes from time when Szoboszlai struck a 30-yard free-kick that surpassed even his matchwinner against Arsenal earlier in the campaign.
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How long ago that memorable strike against the Gunners now feels for everyone associated to the Reds.
And how long ago his latest dead-ball strike must have felt when Szoboszlai was sent off for preventing City striker and close friend Erling Haaland from adding to his decisive injury-time penalty.
Liverpool would no doubt have preferred to see substitute Rayan Cherki’s dribbler from the halfway line allowed and Szoboszlai, who had been chasing back to clear in pursuit of Haaland with Alisson Becker having gone upfield in search of an equaliser, remain on the field.
Instead, the Hungarian is now suspended for Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland. Slot will hope Joe Gomez, again absent here, can be patched up to feature in the ongoing problem position.
The failure to broker an admittedly ambitious loan deal for Lutsharel Geertruida, who could now be in opposition in midweek, now looks particularly costly.
And, as harsh as it seems given his overall display, that Szoboszlai was compelled to once again play as emergency right-back contributed to City finding an unlikely route back into the game when he unwittingly played Bernardo Silva onside for their leveller six minutes from time.
It wasn’t Szoboszlai’s fault the Reds lost here. But his afternoon underlined the challenge they now face if they are to salvage the bare minimum from their Premier League campaign over the remaining 13 games.
After all, very little of what has happened to Slot’s side since winning a record-equalling 20th title last season is making any sort of sense.