Hackett Backs Yellow as City Turn the Screw at Anfield
The Flashpoint That Lit the Fuse
Anfield had barely got its breath when the big talking point arrived: Mohamed Salah tearing away, Marc Guehi tugging back just outside the box, and the referee producing a yellow. VAR took a good look and stuck with the on-field call. The logic? A covering defender was close enough to snuff out the so-called obvious chance. Cue howls from the home crowd, but the tech room backed the ref.
Slot’s Fury After a Wild Finish
For a while, it looked like Liverpool would ride the storm. Dominik Szoboszlai whipped in a sumptuous late free-kick to put the hosts in front, but Manchester City don’t scare easily. Bernardo Silva levelled with real composure, and Erling Haaland rolled in the penalty to flip the night on its head. The finale turned chaotic: a potential third for City was wiped off after fouls were picked out in the build-up, and Szoboszlai saw red as tempers boiled. No wonder Arne Slot was fuming; he insisted Salah through on goal at Anfield is as close to a sure thing as it gets.
Hackett’s Verdict: Why It Wasn’t DOGSO
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett weighed in and landed firmly on the side of the officials. In essence, he argued that the presence and position of a covering defender knocked this out of “last man” territory. His view was clear: yellow card correct, no denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, because cover was in play. It lines up with the Premier League’s Match Centre explanation and the laws that consider distance to goal, direction of play, control of the ball, and—crucially—the proximity of other defenders.
Carragher Nods, VAR Holds Its Nerve
Jamie Carragher echoed the sentiment on the broadcast, essentially calling it one that stings if it’s against you, but not quite enough to reach the red threshold. VAR, often the villain of the piece, did what it’s supposed to do here: check for a howler, not re-referee the grey areas. No howler found, yellow stands.
The Bigger Picture
From Liverpool’s perspective, this was a harsh lesson in margins. You can dominate spells, land the first punch, and still get stung by City’s relentlessness. For Pep Guardiola’s side, it’s classic champion stuff—survive, adjust, and punish. As the race tightens, moments like Guehi’s tug and the split-second reads from officials loom large. If you’re weighing up form and momentum, a glance at the best betting sites tells you the market trusts City’s ice-cold finishing.
Final Whistle: Decision Right, Result Brutal
Was Salah impeded? Absolutely. Was it a sending off? By the book and with a defender close enough to cover, Hackett says no—and the officials agreed. Liverpool feel aggrieved, City feel emboldened, and the rest of us chalk it up as another Anfield epic settled on the tiniest of details.
