Szoboszlai dismissal fuels renewed controversy around advantage rule
Liverpool’s dramatic late loss to Manchester City continues to dominate discussion, with former PGMOL chief executive Keith Hackett casting serious doubt over the red card shown to Dominik Szoboszlai at Anfield.
The Hungary midfielder was dismissed deep into stoppage time after referee Craig Pawson ruled that he had denied Erling Haaland a clear goalscoring opportunity, even though the ball found the net seconds later. The decision has already sidelined Szoboszlai for Wednesday night’s trip to Sunderland, but Hackett argues that the laws of the game may have been misapplied.
Speaking to Football Insider, the former refereeing boss suggested the key question is whether Pawson had already played advantage before returning to issue the red card.
“We have to go back to the laws and look closely at advantage,” Hackett said. “If a referee applies advantage after a denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity, the correct sanction is a yellow card, not a red.”
Why advantage law is central to the Szoboszlai decision
Hackett’s stance hinges on a rarely discussed part of Law 12, which states that when advantage is played following a DOGSO offence and a goal is scored, the punishment should be downgraded to a caution.
In this case, Rayan Cherki’s long-range strike crossed the line before VAR became involved, with Pawson later disallowing the goal and returning to the original foul. Hackett believes that sequence is crucial to understanding the correct outcome.
“The fundamental issue is whether advantage was given,” he explained. “If it was, then the red card should never have been shown.”
That interpretation has only added to the frustration felt by Liverpool supporters over an incident that already seemed severe, especially given Szoboszlai’s influence on the match. The midfielder completed the full 90 minutes, scored a brilliant free-kick, won 15 ground duels, made eight recoveries, and led Liverpool’s press during a dominant second-half spell that pinned City back (via Sofascore).
Divided opinions as Szoboszlai incident remains controversial
Hackett is far from alone in questioning the decision. Both Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola expressed sympathy for Szoboszlai after the final whistle, with Guardiola suggesting that common sense should have applied had the goal been allowed to stand.
Former referee Dermot Gallagher, however, disagreed, arguing that once the goal was ruled out, VAR had little option but to revert to the original offence.
That disagreement underlines the ongoing confusion surrounding how advantage and VAR should operate together in high-stakes moments. For Liverpool, the fallout is not just theoretical. Szoboszlai’s suspension leaves the squad stretched ahead of a tricky midweek trip to Sunderland, with momentum once again disrupted by a refereeing call that is likely to be debated for weeks.
Whether Hackett’s reading of the law gains wider acceptance or not, one thing is clear: the Szoboszlai red card was far from straightforward, and Liverpool may ultimately feel they were punished more harshly than the laws truly required.
