Home Sports Haaland Breaks Silence on Controversial City Goal and Szoboszlai Red Card

Haaland Breaks Silence on Controversial City Goal and Szoboszlai Red Card

February 9, 2026

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Haaland Breaks Silence on Controversial City Goal and Szoboszlai Red Card

The Hungarian had put the Reds in front in the second half from a fantastic free-kick, but Bernardo Silva managed to find an equaliser with six minutes of normal time to play. Matters then got even worse for the hosts, as Haaland dispatched a penalty after Alisson brought down Matheus Nunes in the penalty area.

Although that would have been plenty of drama for watching fans, the game then ended in bizarre fashion.

City broke at pace after Alisson had pushed up the pitch to help his teammates find a late goal, with Rayan Cherki poking the ball towards goal. Haaland, who was racing through to make sure of the third, was then pulled back by Szoboszlai, before he then pulled the midfielder back, leading to both men tumbling to the turf as the ball trickled over the line.

As visiting fans celebrated, VAR elected to intervene, sending referee Craig Pawson to the screen for a review. The Premier League have since clarified that Szoboszlai had fouled his opponent outside the box before Haaland’s actions disallowed the advantage, leading to a free-kick and a Liverpool red card.

Haaland spoke to Sky Sports after the match alongside fellow goalscorer Silva and was inevitably asked about the decision to disallow the goal and show Szoboszlai a red card.

The Norwegian, reacting to the verdict, stated that while he accepted the decision was made by the rulebook, he would have preferred the goal to stand and for Szoboszlai to remain on the pitch.

He said: “Of course, the referee had to follow the rules but this will give him three games, in the end I feel bad for him because he gets three games.

“Just give the goal, don’t give a red card. Simple as that but I guess those are the rules.”

Haaland might well have wished for the goal to stand, but that was a sentiment that also extended to his manager. Pep Guardiola was also asked about the chaos at the end of the game, to which the Spaniard said: “Come on referee, give goal and go home!”

Man City’s head coach went on to add in his post-match press conference: “Common sense, no?! We won the game and now Szoboszlai cannot play. I know he pulled him, but many pulls are there in a game where the referee says ‘play on’, ‘play on’, ‘play on’?

“In this country, in this league, it’s ALWAYS been like that… ‘Play on, play on!’. So just give a goal, 1-3, Szoboszlai can play, and we are happy!”