ARNE SLOT vented his fury against VAR and referee Craig Pawson after Marc Guehi got away with pulling down Mo Salah in Manchester City’s controversial and dramatic 2-1 win on Sunday.
The Liverpool forward had his shirt pulled whilst chasing a ball into the City penalty area after 67 minutes only for Pawson to give a free-kick and just a yellow card.
The incident was reviewed by VAR officials John Brooks and Blake Antrobus and Stockley Park but was not deemed worthy of being upgraded to a penalty or red card.
Speaking to the BBC after the game, Slot preferred to look away from chaos with Dominik Szoboszlai at the end.
He said: “That is not the incident we should talk about.
“Maybe he should have left it for a goal as it is, but if that is the rule that is what we have to accept.
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“If there is any incident we should talk about, it’s when Mo Salah is one on one with the goalkeeper.
“Anyone who has been to this stadium in the last seven or eight years, that is a goal for Salah.
“Once again, the referee decides not in our favour.
“They have to do their job.”
Speaking on Sky Sports’ commentary, Gary Neville thought the right decision was reached, claiming that Salah would not have got to the ball.
Slot later added in his press conference: “I can live with the fact, although I don’t like it, that the referee follows the rulebook as Dominik makes a foul on Haaland in the last situation, which is a clear shirt pull.
“And he [Haaland] was through to goal so he would have scored.
“So that’s a red card.
“I think the Sunderland manager [Regis Le Bris, who Liverpool play next on Wednesday] is really happy that he gives a red card.
“So that’s the rulebook and if you follow the rulebook, and you have a clear shirt pull from Guehi on Mo Salah who for eight years is scoring that ball every single time, 100 out of 100 times he scores that goal, a bit exaggerated, and that is not a red card, then there is more of my frustration.”
The ball ran through to City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in real time but might have been different if Salah had not been impeded.
Liverpool took the lead shortly after through Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick, once again in front of the Kop in a heavyweight clash.
But controversy continued as City equalised late on and then got a penalty after Alisson brought down Matheus Nunes.
The City midfielder-turned-defender got his shot away from a tight angle but collided with Liverpool’s goalie at pace.
Erling Haaland made no mistake from the spot to give the visitors a crucial lead in the title race.
But more carnage followed as Donnarumma stopped a goal-bound Alexis Mac Allister shot from range and Liverpool appealed for a penalty during a mass scramble.
Szoboszlai was then sent off after VAR disallowed a Rayan Cherki goal as Liverpool chased an equaliser themselves.
He yanked Haaland’s shirt as the striker ran through to tap in Cherki’s effort from range with Alisson up field.
Haaland did the same back after being slowed down by Szoboszlai only for VAR to cancel out the goal and advantage from Pawson, once more causing uncertainty and anger.
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