09 Feb 2026 11:08:55
Am I the only one scartching his head over yesterdays decision. A red card can be shown if a goal scoring oppotunity has been denied by foul play and nearest defender blah blah blah.
A goal scoring oppotunity wasn't denied, the ball went into the net, it was a cynical pull back, both players get yellows and the goal stands.
laws my ar$e.
{Ed001's Note - that's because you are applying common sense, like referees used to use. Instead we have idiots in charge, who have absolutely no common sense and so apply the strict letter of the law, rather than the spirit it was intended to produce.}
09 Feb 2026 11:32:31
My guess is that as the ball was moving so slow, and Dom did actually manage to get close enough to clear it, that it was interpreted as a goal scoring opportunity. I imagine that if Cherki had hit it with more pace, leaving no doubt about whether it was going in, the goal would have stood.
Not defending it in anyway, the whole thing was a joke, as usual with var.
09 Feb 2026 11:36:18
The moment szob started calling for a foul he sealed his own fate. Only himself to blame.
What I want to know is why is alli up there anyway? Not last minute in a cup final or make or break game to qualify for champions league.
Slots desperation as usual to scramble a draw. Maybe if he set his team out to press and attack from the start of the games, he wouldn't have to go gung ho every game near the end.
09 Feb 2026 11:43:23
Barry, I thought the goal should have stood because both players fouled each other. Essentially, both fouls offset. Goal given. Move on.
The ref was dreadful from start to finish overall and lost control of the game completely. No common sense, at all.
09 Feb 2026 11:52:06
The infuriating thing was Silva pulled Salah shirt in the penalty area earlier in the game and the ref said no penalty. Given how pedantic he was being it's inconsistent if you give the foul for one and not the other. Either they're both fouls, and we get a penalty and Szoboszlai is sent off or they're not fouls and the goal stands, Szobo isn't sent off and there's no penalty for the foul on Salah.
But then again, only one club in the league has owners who have put money directly into the pockets of PGMOL and its employees .
09 Feb 2026 11:58:51
It's incredibly daft and yet another dagger in the love for the game. But Szobo probably gets him self sent off due to his reaction, by that I mean he drew attention to the situation. As the ball goes in, he calls for a foul by Haaland, which there is and VAR check to see if he had been impeded in getting the ball, which he likely did. His issue is, he committed one before. So by the strict letter of the law what VAR did was correct.
However, if they allowed the goal, no one complains imo, I don't think anyone would look at it and argue for a red. Although the media probably do if he went on to score Wednesday. Damned if you do and damned if you don't spring to mind.
VAR came in to stop bad errors but they still happen. It didn't get introduced to go over every incident and make football perfect from a rule perspective. It's ruining, if it hasn't already, the sport we all love. Sooner or later they need to make a decision on whether this is the right way to go. As yesterday's decision was not the sport I grew up watching. That should have been an organic moment of joy for city, instead it was peed on from a great height!
09 Feb 2026 12:25:37
With reference to Dom getting sent off, just imagine if the score had been 1-1 instead of 1-2 and city then dropped two points. Would the ref and VAR have come to the same decision? Imagine Pep's views then!
Crazy decision! Goal should have stood.
But so many things to comment on. Tactics, fitness both nit good enough.
09 Feb 2026 14:11:44
Exactly, Mighty Reds7579. Just let the goal stand and move on. 11 players on the pitch and in a couple of mins., the game is over and we all take the L and go home. Pawson is useless, man.
09 Feb 2026 14:42:59
Well said, WY.
The standard of officiating has been undermining the game for years. If football were like this when we were kids, would any of us have fallen in love with it the way we did? I know I wouldn't have.
09 Feb 2026 15:00:44
The decision makes sense to me and goal difference, indeed goals scored have decided the title. Dom would have cleared it if he hadn't been fouled.
How can you allow it as a goal?
If Dom hadn't fouled Haaland would it still be a goal? Of course not.
So you can't allow the goal.
However, Dom definitely prevented Haaland smashing it in so that's a red card.