10 Feb 2026 10:02:28
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool v Manchester City - A Quick Liverpool Perspective
10 Feb 2026 13:00:58
Ed am i correct in saying this was the game where Holland was 1 on 1 with a defender, got fouled then he fouled the defender then the ball went in the net but the ref instead came back for the original foul. I initially thought the ref got it correct regardless of the goal but then thought the ref let the play go on long enough to play advantage so goal should have stood but then thought about the defenders red card.
The foul never merited a red card but only stopping a goal scoring opportunity but the ball went in before the ref pulled it back for the original foul. Thoughts on this 1 Ed and every1 if you seen it
{Ed001's Note - yes mate. I think common sense and the spirit of the law would say to allow the goal and get on with it but by the letter of the law it was the correct decision. Seems stupid to waste all that time with var rather than just going with the refs original decision.}
10 Feb 2026 13:53:30
Common sense should be rule no1 in the book. One of the reasons I hate VAR and enjoy watching English Championship games is, if no flag is up or instant whistle is blown, its a goal.
10 Feb 2026 14:12:40
Is playing advantage not a thing? So, by playing advantage, you score, therefore the goal should stand. Having a man sent off for the opposition is not a big advantage when in injury time, and even after that incident Liverpool nearly equalised, but for a wonder save from City's keeper. I believe VAR got it wrong, nothing to do with common sense.
10 Feb 2026 14:18:23
I did not get what the complaints were about for that. It was the correct decision. You have a massive problem if refs start ignoring rules in favour of common sense, because whose common sense is it exactly? Refereeing is hard enough without adding more complexity, which deciding when to apply common sense and when to apply the rules would do imo.
10 Feb 2026 14:53:47
VAR cost us 2 points against Hibs with one of the most ridiculous offside decisions I ever seen. A lot of pundits are calling for VAR to be scrapped. I think it's killing the game.
10 Feb 2026 14:55:57
I'm not sure punishing someone with a red card for a non-malicious foul, which was nearly the last kick, is in the spirit of the game.
Correct decision going by the rules, but a daft decision all the same.
10 Feb 2026 14:57:16
Referee should have blown for the foul, though, before the ball went in. I suspect he was trying to play advantage. Referee gave the goal as he must not have seen Haaland's foul.
VAR are doing what they are there to do and make sure the rules are followed.
So, firstly, rules say a goal can only be awarded if the scoring team have committed no prior infringements (Law 10). This is why every goal is checked back to start of attacking phase. This is why VAR would have been looking and, when they saw foul, need to tell referee to review.
Secondly, the referee initially played an advantage after Szoboszlai's first foul.
However, Law 5 says that if the team then commits their own foul, the advantage immediately ends.
So, once the Haaland foul was seen, they go back to first offence and work from that. So, no goal as first foul happened before it and red card for stopping a goal scoring opportunity.
The problem is these rules are diktats and referee can't deviate from them, i.e. no interpretation. Seems silly, but we moan anyway when the referee interprets areas he can, so simpler where it is black and white.
10 Feb 2026 16:54:51
We know the rules, they have be blasted over Sky Sports since it happened. When no team gets an advantage, it just does not make the game better. A think if every supporter got a vote on keeping it or not, then it would get kicked to the kerb (possible poll).
Goal celebrations for fans have been ruined, and that is basically what fans are at grounds for up and down the country.
10 Feb 2026 17:39:54
Really starting to question the rules nowadays with refs delaying blowing. If the ref blew early, then yes, red card. The fact he has waited till the ball is in the net, then blew, is crazy. What's more crazy is he then gives a red card. Really, I don't understand anymore. Give the goal, and its not a red card.
10 Feb 2026 18:48:04
Don't understand the big fuss. Not a huge fan of VAR, but the correct decision was made. Ref played advantage, but Haaland fouled a Liverpool player to allow the ball to go in. So, had to go back to the initial foul. U surely can't use an advantage to foul someone to score.
Lots complaining about killjoys, but we can't just allow wrong decisions for the sake of it. What's next, refs ignore offsides or fouls leading to goals because they don't want to upset some?
10 Feb 2026 19:19:14
It was all a bit of a mess, but the right decision was made. The ref played the advantage for the foul on Haaland, but once he fouled Szoboszlai, preventing him clearing the ball, the ref had to disallow the goal and go back to the initial foul, which meant Szoboszlai had to go off.
He actually jumped up after the Haaland foul on him, shouting for the decision. For the integrity of the league, the ref made the right decision. City didn't get the extra goal on their goal difference, and Szoboszlai gets suspended for Liverpool's next match against Sunderland.
10 Feb 2026 20:55:05
Don't know how anyone can argue with the decision, it's 100% correct, no ifs, no maybes.
VAR didn't cost us against Hibs either. VAR doesn't cost anyone anything, it's the people using it.
10 Feb 2026 22:09:17
It was the right decision, same most of the time with VAR and refs. Fans and pundits don't know the rules and give an opinion. No interpretation here, just black and white. ?.
Lets see the next decision which goes against us, and fans are shouting for VAR to step in.
Those pundits now complain are the exact same tw*ts who were shouting for VAR when it wasn't there. The refs and VAR can't win.
10 Feb 2026 22:18:26
Right, it's the people who make mistakes, but VAR takes away more from the game than it gives. I would lose it tomorrow, even if the percentages went against us in decisions in future.
11 Feb 2026 08:31:06
You'd be buzzing, though, if you had money on a red card in the game, lol.
VAR has killed the game.