Gary Neville reacts to Dominik Szoboszlai and Erling Haaland drama

Gary Neville has shared his thoughts on the late drama involving Dominik Szoboszlai and Erling Haaland during Liverpool’s clash with Manchester City at Anfield

Dominik Szoboszlai was shown a straight red card after a VAR review for tugging Erling Haaland's shirt.(Image: AFP or licensors)

Gary Neville has weighed in on the incident between Dominik Szoboszlai and Erling Haaland during Liverpool’s clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

After opening the scoring with a brilliant free-kick, Szoboszlai was sent off following a foul on Haaland as Manchester City scored what would have been a late third goal at Anfield. However, Rayan Cherki’s goal was ultimately ruled out, though the red card still stood.

Szoboszlai was judged to have denied a clear goalscoring opportunity after bringing down Haaland during a sprint, with the two players colliding and falling in the process. Referee Craig Pawson disallowed the goal and stopped play after the advantage failed to materialize.

The match ended 2-1 in City’s favor, but the conclusion sparked confusion, as Szoboszlai might have avoided a sending-off had the goal counted.

Speaking on co-commentary, Neville expressed his disbelief at the referee's decision. "I just don’t get this. Look, he’s fouled him there, that’s the foul. He’s saying you cannot play advantage, but then ignore that," said the former Manchester United defender.

"That feels so unjust. I know there’s rules, but there’s a smell of the game that’s completely gone. I don’t think he will be okay the referee, because he’ll realize he’s made the right decision. There is no football person that would disallow that goal, but it’s going to be disallowed.

"Talk about a killjoy. Liverpool lose by getting a man sent off, City lose because they don’t get a goal, and everyone’s just asking the question. Just let the goal be. You’ve just killed one of the great moments of the season.

"They cannot play advantage because of the clear foul by Haaland on Szoboszlai, so they’ve unravelled everything back to a nothing. No one’s happy. There’ll be someone saying the rules are the rules, but that doesn’t feel right at all."

Dominik Szoboszlai faces a ban after being sent off in Liverpool's defeat to Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)

The Premier League’s Match Centre tried to clear up the confusion with a post on X, but inadvertently added to the chaos by misspelling Szoboszlai’s name. "After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of goal to Manchester City," the Premier League wrote on X.

The referee's announcement was then quoted. "After review, there is a careless foul by Erling Haaland, that pulls the shirt of Dominic [sic] Szoboszlai," the referee said, although his first name was mispelled.

"Prior to that, Szoboszlai commits a holding offence that denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity. The final decision is a direct free kick to Manchester City and a red card."

As a result of the dismissal, Szoboszlai will serve a one-match ban for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO), rather than a three-game suspension for other red card offences. According to the Liverpool Echo, this means he will be available for Liverpool’s FA Cup clash with Brighton next weekend and the Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest on February 22.