VAR audio from Dominik Szoboszlai red card v Man City still raises questions which need answering
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(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Why was Szoboszlai sent off instead of the goal being awarded?The VAR audio from the red card incident was made public on the latest instalment of Premier League Officials Mic’d Up (via Sky Sports), and while on-field referee Craig Pawson initially played advantage and awarded the goal, John Brooks in Stockley Park intervened.The official in VAR argued that because of Haaland pulling Szoboszlai’s shirt after advantage had been played, the Liverpool midfielder had to be sent off for DOGSO and a free kick outside the penalty area would be awarded, with Cherki’s goal being wiped from the scoreboard.When asked why the goal couldn’t just overrrule the two fouls in between, Webb explained: “To referee at Premier League level, you need a feel for the game and an understanding. We try to apply common sense where possible, but there’s a limit to that.“The ball only goes in the goal because Erling Haaland pulls Szoboszlai, preventing him from being able to clear the ball, so we can’t allow that goal to stand for that reason.
On Premier League Match Officials Mic'd Up, Howard Webb explains the process in disallowing Rayan Cherki's goal against Liverpool and why Dominik Szoboszlai was shown a red card 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/gd3eqCvEDu — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 24, 2026“The referee tried to play an advantage when Szoboszlai initially pulls Haaland and he waits to see what happens and if the ball goes straight to the goal. That’s a good advantage, and we give the goal, but the ball only goes into the goal because Haaland clearly commits an offence 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, 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.”Latest VAR shambles raises more questions which need answeringSo after all that, Haaland gets a ‘free-hit’ foul on Szoboszlai and no punishment, whereas the Liverpool midfielder was sent off and given a one-match ban just because his similar offence came first, and Cherki has a special goal disallowed because common sense is prohibited?What a load of nonsense.