Liverpool vs Man City referee review with Arsenal questions over ghost penalty call

football.london reviews the big decisions by the officials after Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield

Typically, our referee reviews are exclusive to Arsenal matches, but this game simply had too much drama and so much relevance to the Gunners and the title race it is worthy of comment. Manchester City coming out with an injury-time winner from the penalty spot after a debatable decision, for reasons we will discuss, has seen the conversation explode online.

City moved back to within six points of Arsenal after their surprise win at Anfield, a ground they won at just once (in 2021) since 2003, and therefore for the first time in the presence of the Liverpool crowd. Falling behind, almost ironically, after his strike against Arsenal earlier this season, to a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick.

However Bernardo Silva strike and a baffling Alisson decision to foul Matheus Nunes and hand Erling Haaland the chance to win it from the spot which he took turned it all around. football.london looks over the big decisions including one that seems to have been missed by all the cameras.

Marc Guehi red card call

The pass comes through, Mohamed Salah has escaped, or at least he thinks he has, the run of Marc Guehi; however, the defender clearly pulls him back, and he goes down, easily. There is very little attempt from Salah to stay on his feet, and he takes the foul.

FL review: It is definitely not a penalty, with the incident clearly occurring outside the box. The reality here is that it is an “obvious” or a “possible” goalscoring opportunity, and the presence of Ruben Dias, who can be seen arcing his run to close the Egyptian, is what makes this an on-field call and one that the VAR backs.

Matheus Nunes and Dias have enough coverage that any potential pass across to Florian Wirtz or Hugo Ekitike is not “obvious” either. I think the right call is made here, whether it is always made, however, is another question.

FL verdict: Correct decision, yellow card.

Alisson penalty foul

When you have a point and are looking to win the game, the last thing you need is to give away a needless penalty, and that is exactly what Alisson does. Charging into Matheus Nunes, and giving Craig Pawson no choice but to point to the spot.

FL review – I cannot quite believe how much debate there has been about this one in all honesty. Alisson absolutely clatters Nunes, yes, the ball has gone, and he’s not reaching it, but that doesn’t matter; it doesn’t entitle you to smash into a player and take them out, it remains a foul.

There were supporters after Viktor Gyokeres’ second goal, calling for a red card to be given to Reinildo, even though the Swede had scored, similar to Van der Ven on Alexander Isak, which ended up breaking his leg to be given no punishment. I think there are arguments in all these cases for additional punishment based on the challenges and fouls.

FL verdict – Correct decision, penalty.

Rodri ghost penalty

This was bizarre, and I am still trying to work out how no broadcaster (to which, if I have missed anything subsequently, I retract this statement) has shown any other angles of close-ups of the challenge. Federico Chiesa appears to be brought down in the box by a lunging Rodri and there was supposedly a VAR check.

FL review – Without additional angles all we have to go off was the live footage. In which case it makes it very difficult to know truly if Rodri gets the ball but Chiesa on the floor was begging for a penalty and felt aggrieved. More angles please…

FL review – Inconclusive.

Szoboszlai red card and Haaland

This has to be one of the most ridiculous decisions we’ve seen given by the letter of the law. Yes, Szoboszlai commits a foul on Haaland, who is the last man, and then Haaland too commits a foul on Szoboszlai in the box. But the ball is going in, and neither player reaches it.

I know before I have said about punishments for fouls after the ball has gone but are we really going to make this an equivalent action? Because it simply isn’t.

FL review – The game’s gone.

FL verdict – Incorrect decision, goal stands, no red card.