Szoboszlai Sent Off, Cherki Goal Disallowed in Liverpool-Man City Clash

Controversial decisions in Premier League showdown as City rally to win 2-1 at Anfield.

Feb. 8, 2026 at 1:39pm

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In a highly anticipated Premier League match, Manchester City came from behind to defeat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield. The game was marked by two controversial decisions - Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai was sent off in the second half, and a goal by Lyon loanee Rayan Cherki for City was disallowed.

Why it matters

The result keeps Manchester City in the Premier League title race, while Liverpool's hopes of catching the leaders took a hit. The red card and disallowed goal were key talking points that will be debated by fans and pundits.

The details

Szoboszlai opened the scoring for Liverpool with a thunderous free-kick, but City equalized through Bernardo Silva. In the second half, Szoboszlai was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Erling Haaland. Shortly after, Cherki thought he had put City ahead, but his goal was ruled out for offside. City then scored the winner through a late goal from Ruben Dias.

  • The match was played on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
  • Szoboszlai was sent off in the second half.
  • Cherki's disallowed goal came shortly after Szoboszlai's red card.

The players

Dominik Szoboszlai

A Hungarian midfielder who plays for Liverpool.

Bernardo Silva

A Portuguese midfielder who plays for Manchester City.

Erling Haaland

A Norwegian striker who plays for Manchester City.

Ruben Dias

A Portuguese defender who plays for Manchester City.

Rayan Cherki

A French forward who is on loan from Lyon to Manchester City.

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What they’re saying

“It was a tough game, but we showed our character to come back and win it.”

— Pep Guardiola, Manchester City Manager

“The red card changed the game, but we can't make excuses. We need to be better.”

— Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool Manager

What’s next

The Premier League will review the red card and disallowed goal decisions, and may issue further disciplinary action if warranted.

The takeaway

This match highlighted the fine margins in the Premier League title race, with controversial refereeing decisions playing a key role in the outcome. Both teams will need to regroup and focus on their remaining fixtures as the battle for the championship intensifies.