Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool suffered a devastating late collapse on Sunday as Manchester City staged a comeback to win 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday.
Arne Slot’s side looked set for all three points after Dominik Szoboszlai unleashed a sensational 30-yard free-kick past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 74th minute. But the lead lasted just ten minutes. Bernardo Silva volleyed home Erling Haaland’s cushioned header to level things up in the 84th minute before Alisson brought down Matheus Nunes in the box, gifting City a penalty.
Haaland tucked away his first-ever Anfield goal in the 93rd minute to seal the win. The drama didn’t end there, as Szoboszlai was sent off in stoppage time after pulling back Haaland, with VAR disallowing a Rayan Cherki goal in chaotic scenes.
It was a gutting night for Liverpool, who must now feel the road to Champions League football is long. But speaking in his post-match press conference, Arne Slot feels that Marc Guehi should have received a red card in the 68th minute after he brought down Mohamed Salah just outside the area.
The defender, who was only booked, appeared to tug Salah back as the forward drove into the right channel.
Slot said via ESPN:
“When you ask me about what decision, I thought what do you mean, the disallowed goal at City, the penalty they got in the away game against us, the clear red card on Mo Salah in the second half here, or the penalty they got in the second half, or do you mean this [Szoboszlai red card] decision?” Slot said.
“That’s only over two games, and the ones that follow Liverpool know how many decisions I can come up with in all the other games as well, all the big decisions that could have gone in some situation to a 50-50.
“I can live with the fact, although I don’t like it, that the referee follows the rulebook and Dominik makes a foul on Haaland in that situation which is a clear shirt-pull and he was through on goal so he would have scored. That’s a red card.”
“I think the Sunderland manager is really happy he gives a red card.
“If you follow the rulebook, and you have a clear shirt-pull by Guéhi on Mo Salah, who for eight years has been scoring that ball 100 times out of 100 — a bit of an exaggeration — and it is not a red card, then there is more of my frustration.”
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