Referee chief gives final verdict on Dominik Szoboszlai red card vs Man City - 'Has to be'

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Liverpool IconLiverpool FC NewsFeaturesDominik SzoboszlaiThe Liverpool star was dismissed in the final stages of the Reds' defeat to Manchester City at Anfield after grappling with Erling Haaland. It was a controversial moment that drew several withering scornful verdictsHoward Webb has said the decision was correct to dismiss Domink Szoboszlai against Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb has defended the decision to send off Domink Szoboszlai against Manchester City earlier this month.The Liverpool midfielder was involved in an unusual tangle with Erling Haaland in the final stages of the Premier League encounter at Anfield a little over two weeks ago.

Liverpool trailed 2-1 at the time, resulting in Alisson joining the Reds’ attack to try and net a dramatic equalizer.Instead, the goal came at the other end, with Rayan Cherki capitalizing on Alisson’s absence and netting from around the halfway line. But as Szoboszlai and Haaland sprinted back to try and catch the ball, the Liverpool star initially fouled his City counterpart, before the Norwegian responded by pulling at Szoboszlai and preventing him from clearing the shot.READ MORE: Dominik Szoboszlai 'will leave' Liverpool if Real Madrid makes transfer moveREAD MORE: Dominik Szoboszlai faces criticism after Arne Slot tactic - 'Not a natural'As the ball trickled over the line, Cherki and City celebrated wildly, only for a VAR check to cancel it out, After checking the pitchside monitor, referee Craig Pawson awarded a foul and sent Szoboszlai off.It was a controversial moment that drew widespread criticism, but Webb said the officials reached the correct conclusion.The referee chief told the Premier League’s Mic’d Up show: “To referee at Premier League level, you need a feel for the game, you need an understanding, and we try to apply common sense where that's possible, but there's a limit to that.Szoboszlai was shown a straight red card(Image: Getty Images)“This goal is only scored - it only goes in the goal - because Erling Haaland pulls Szoboszlai, preventing him from being able to clear the ball.“The referee tries to play an advantage when Szoboszlai initially pulls Haaland, and he waits to see what happens and, of course, if the ball goes straight into the goal, that's a good advantage, we give the goal.“But the ball only goes into the goal because Haaland clearly commits an offense on Szoboszlai.

We can’t ignore that. We can’t therefore just allow the advantage because it's only accrued because of that action by Haaland.Szoboszlai missed the following game against Sunderland after his red card(Image: Getty Images)“So, we have to go right back to the initial offence, which is the one by Szoboszlai pulling Haaland.“It's outside the penalty area, it denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity, so a free-kick is given and Szoboszlai is sent off.“He was appealing for this foul by Haaland, he was right to appeal because it was a foul.“But unfortunately for him, he'd committed an initial offence that has to be penalised and we end up in what is clearly the right place through the use of VAR in the end.”Liverpool FCDominik Szoboszlai