Craig Pawson and VAR controversially intervened to disallow a Manchester City goal and send Dominik Szoboszlai off at the end of Liverpool's defeat to Pep Guardiola's side
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 08: Referee, Craig Pawson speaks with players as Ruben Dias of Manchester City reacts with Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on February 08, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
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Mark Halsey insists that referee Craig Pawson 'had no choice' but to disallow what would have been Manchester City's third goal during the dramatic finale of their 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday, despite a significant backlash to the decision.
Liverpool were chasing the game after two goals in nine minutes from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland had nudged City into the ascendancy and sent Alisson up for a corner. City broke and as a long-range effort from Rayan Cherki trickled towards the goal, Dominik Szoboszlai pulled Haaland back to prevent him getting to the ball. The Norwegian striker retaliated before both lost their footing just before the ball crossed the line.
But although Pawson chose to allow the goal to stand after playing advantage for Szoboszlai's foul on Haaland, VAR intervened and recommended a review, which led to the decision being overturned and a red card being issued to the Liverpool midfielder.
Fans and pundits alike have slammed the decision but Halsey, who spent years refereeing in the Premier League, has explained why Pawson was right to change his mind.
"Craig Pawson had no choice but to rule out what would have been Manchester City’s third goal against Liverpool," Halsey wrote in The Sun. "Credit to Craig, he was waiting to see what happened when Rayan Cherki sent the ball towards an unguarded net in stoppage time with City 2-1 up.
"Dominik Szoboszlai pulls Erling Haaland back but Craig waits to see if Haaland can still get to the ball. That doesn’t happen, so when Haaland then pulls Szoboszlai back, that is stopping the Liverpool player from preventing the ball from going into the net.
"No advantage had been signalled. So once VAR John Brooks calls Craig across he has no choice – he has got to look at the first offence, the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity.
"Craig was correct in law. People will be saying, ‘Why didn’t he just give the goal?’. But Haaland’s pull-back stopped the Liverpool player from clearing the ball."
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has delivered his verdict on blue cards
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey says Pawson was right to rule out the goal and send Dominik Szoboszlai off(Image: Getty Images)
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While Halsey commended Pawson for following the laws of the game, others have questioned the outcome. Gary Neville, commentating for Sky Sports, said after the VAR call: "Talk about a killjoy. They have just killed one of the great moments of the season."
Haaland himself sympathised with Szoboszlai but said he understood why Pawson had to follow the rules, telling Sky Sports: "'I think for me of course the referee has to follow the rules.
"This will give him three games, I feel bad for him, he gets three games, just give the goal don't give the red card.
"(But) it's the rules so this is how it is. In the end Cherki passed me the ball so he scores, so that's just how it is."
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