In a Premier League thriller at Anfield on February 8, 2026, Manchester City edged out Liverpool 2-1, but the victory was overshadowed by a controversial late incident involving Dominik Szoboszlai. The Liverpool midfielder was shown a straight red card in the 103rd minute for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, a decision that sparked widespread debate and left both managers with similar feelings of disbelief.

The incident occurred during a frantic finale as Liverpool chased an equalizer, having gone behind to Erling Haaland's 93rd-minute penalty. With Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker upfield in search of a late goal, City substitute Rayan Cherki launched a shot towards the empty net from the halfway line. Szoboszlai and Haaland both raced back to prevent the ball from crossing the line, and a tangle ensued between the two players.

Szoboszlai, in an attempt to slow Haaland down, appeared to pull the City striker's jersey. Haaland retaliated by pulling back on Szoboszlai, sending the Hungarian midfielder sprawling to the ground just as Cherki's shot trickled into the net. Initially, referee Craig Pawson awarded the goal, but after a VAR review, he overturned the decision, disallowed the goal, and showed Szoboszlai a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

The decision meant that City's lead remained 2-1, and Szoboszlai will now be suspended for Liverpool's upcoming match against Sunderland. The red card, given in the dying moments of the game, left a sour taste in the mouths of players and fans alike.

Both Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland expressed their unease with the decision. Guardiola called for "common sense," suggesting that the referee should have awarded the goal and moved on. "Come on referee, give [the] goal and go home," Guardiola said. "It's common sense". Haaland echoed his manager's sentiment, stating that he did not want to see Szoboszlai sent off. "Just give the goal, don't give the red card," Haaland remarked.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot, while seemingly accepting the decision, focused on an earlier incident in the match where he felt Mohamed Salah was unfairly denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Slot suggested that the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) would likely agree with him on the matter.

The Premier League later explained the decision, stating that Szoboszlai's foul on Haaland negated any advantage City might have gained, thus necessitating the intervention. However, the league body was also criticized for misspelling Szoboszlai's name in their explanation. Gary Neville, commentating on the game, described the VAR intervention as a "killjoy" and argued that "there isn't a football fan who will say that is a foul!".

The result sees Manchester City close the gap on Arsenal in the title race, while Liverpool's hopes of Champions League qualification suffer a blow. The game will be remembered not only for the quality of football but also for the controversial end. The bizarre red card incident has ignited debate about the application of VAR and the interpretation of the laws of the game, leaving fans and pundits questioning whether common sense prevailed on this occasion.