Slot criticises officiating in Liverpool Man City game

Slot’s Frustration Boils Over as Liverpool Fall to Manchester City

Liverpool left the Etihad with more than defeat weighing on them. Arne Slot cut a visibly furious figure after his side’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City, his anger centred not on performance alone, but on what he perceived as refereeing inconsistency that shaped the contest’s decisive moments.

City recovered from Dominik Szoboszlai’s superb opener through Bernardo Silva and an Erling Haaland penalty, securing a comeback that preserved their title pursuit. For Liverpool, however, the match narrative became inseparable from controversy.

Refereeing Decisions Ignite Debate

Slot’s post match assessment quickly turned towards officiating. The flashpoint came at 0-0 when Mohamed Salah appeared to be pulled back by Marc Guehi while through on goal. No red card followed. Late on, Szoboszlai was dismissed for denying Haaland a clear scoring chance in near identical fashion.

Asked about the decisions, Slot said: “When you ask me about what decision, I thought what do you mean… the disallowed goal at City (earlier in the season)? The penalty they got in the away game against us?

“The clear red card (for the foul) on Mo Salah in the second half here? Or the penalty they got in the second half, or do you mean the Szoboszlai (red card) decision?

Photo: IMAGO

“That’s only over two games, and the ones that follow Liverpool know how many decisions I can come up with in all the other games as well, all the big decisions that could have gone in some situation to a 50-50.”

His frustration was rooted in perceived inconsistency rather than the law itself.

“I can live with the fact – although I don’t like it – that the referee follows the rulebook and Dominik makes a foul on Haaland in that situation which is a clear shirt-pull and he was through on goal so he would have scored. That’s a red card.

“If you follow the rulebook, and you have a clear shirt-pull by Guehi on Salah, who for eight years has been scoring that (chance) 100 times out of 100.

“And it is not a red card? Then there is more of my frustration… That’s the rule and following the rules is all I ask.”

Title Race Pressure Intensifies

While Slot wrestled with officiating grievances, Pep Guardiola focused firmly on the Premier League summit. Victory kept Manchester City within six points of Arsenal, sustaining belief inside the defending champions’ camp.

Guardiola said: “Thirteen games, in my experience, is a lot of time.

“All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal and (continue) being there, try if they go asleep, if they (make a mistake), to use it.

“I have a feeling that improving (just) a little bit will not be enough to compete against Arsenal but still we have margin (to improve). We have to (play them) at home, of course we have to beat them.”

Squad Concerns Ahead of Sunderland Trip

Liverpool’s immediate challenge now shifts to availability. Szoboszlai’s suspension removes a key midfield driver, while Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong are not expected back for the trip to Sunderland.

For Slot, the evening encapsulated a broader tension running through Liverpool’s season, fine margins, major consequences, and a growing sense that pivotal calls are falling the wrong way at decisive times.