Liverpool
Liverpool 1-2 Man City: Ex-PGMOL Chief Gives Verdict on Marc Guehi Red Card Claim
Liverpool manager Arne Slot with Manchester City’s Marc Guehi after the match
Former FIFA referee and PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has given his verdict on the decision not to send Marc Guehi off for denying Mohamed Salah a goalscoring opportunity in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat against Manchester City.
Although neither side could break the deadlock in the first half, the hosts believed they should have been given an advantage when the England international pulled Salah back outside the box as he raced through on goal. VAR reviewed the on-field decision, agreeing that a booking was the only punishment required.
It seemed as though that decision would not matter in the end when Dominik Szoboszlai struck a sweet free-kick past Gianluigi Donnarumma for a late opener. But Bernardo Silva’s equaliser and Erling Haaland’s penalty ultimately led to a famous comeback victory for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot before facing Barnsley in the FA Cup.
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‘The Word From Liverpool Is’ – Arne Slot Sack Update Emerges After Man City Defeat
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Matt Smith
Slot Calls Out Referee’s Decision Not to Send Guehi Off
Liverpool manager Arne Slot
In the end, the biggest drama of the match came at the end of the game as City had a third goal ruled out for fouls made by Haaland and Szoboszlai, which led to the latter being sent off. But that didn’t stop Slot from voicing his frustration with the earlier decision concerning Guehi and Salah after the final whistle.
The Dutch manager, when asked if his side had been wronged during the game, said: “We can talk about every incident and everybody has an opinion about this. That’s the difficulty in football, there are never 100 to nil decisions.
“If I had to talk about one moment, I would like to talk about the time Mo [Salah] was through on goal and Guehi held his shirt.
“Everyone who has been in this stadium for the past eight years knows that if Mo Salah comes in that situation, it’s a goal. So that is definitely a goalscoring opportunity.
“Maybe that is an 80/20 split, we can find 20 people from the PGMOL who don’t think it’s a red card. But I think in general everyone who looks at it will tell you that should have been a red card.”
Check Out Slot’s Comments Below:
Hackett Gives View on Decision to Show Guehi a Yellow Card
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah react after referee Craig Pawson awards a penalty to Manchester City
The Premier League’s Match Centre had explained the referee’s decision on social media, indicating that a covering defender meant that it was not a DOGSO offence. They stated: “The referee’s call of a free-kick and yellow card to Guehi for the challenge on Salah was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the challenge outside of the area and deemed not to be denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO) as there was a covering defender.
And while Slot might feel as though Guehi deserved to receive his marching orders for the offence, Hackett ultimately reached the same conclusion that the officials did. Speaking to Football Insider, the former PGMOL chief believes that a defender’s presence in the area meant that it wasn’t an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
“Yellow card the correct decision. Does not fulfil denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity due to the position of the covering defender.”
Jamie Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports as a pundit, also believes the correct decision was reached. He said: “I think it was the right decision.
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“It’s one of them which frustrates you when it’s against you. I totally understand Slot. I think Pep Guardiola would say the same if it was on the other side.
“I think there’s enough doubt to not give the red card. For me, the decision was right.”
Liverpool
The contract and paperwork are already in place for Liverpool to welcome back Jarell Quansah, who left Merseyside to join Bayer Leverkusen last summer, to help fill out the Reds’ thin defensive ranks
Yes — that claim lines up with multiple transfer-news reports: Liverpool could re-sign 23-year-old England centre-back Jarell Quansah from Bayer Leverkusen in future, thanks to a buy-back clause in the deal that sent him to Germany — but not immediately next season.
🔁 What’s Happening with Quansah and Liverpool
Quansah moved from Liverpool to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025 for a reported fee around £30m-£35m (plus add-ons), joining the Bundesliga side on a long-term contract.
As part of that transfer, Liverpool inserted a buy-back clause allowing the club to re-sign him in the future for a pre-agreed fee.
footballtransfers.com
However, the clause cannot be activated until the summer of 2027 at the earliest.
TEAM
Reports suggest the buy-back figure could be around £50m-£60m (with potential add-ons increasing the fee), although exact numbers vary across sources.
Sports Mole +1
There are also indications Liverpool have pre-agreed personal terms with Quansah should they trigger the buy-back, smoothing the path for a return.
TEAMtalk
🧠 Context for the Move
Quansah was a Liverpool academy graduate and made senior appearances before leaving, but opted for more first-team football in Germany.
Football Today
With his development in the Bundesliga and Liverpool’s evolving defensive needs, the idea of bringing him back — especially given future departures or ageing defenders — is being discussed in transfer circles.
TEAMtalk
Bottom line: the Football Insider claim that Liverpool could re-sign Quansah later isn’t unfounded — there is a buy-back clause — but any switch is realistically targeted for 2027 or beyond, not next summer.
Liverpool
Donnarumma’s 𝑰𝑵𝑪𝑹𝑬𝑫𝑰𝑩𝑳𝑬 save 97th minute… pure madness at Anfield Manchester City were leading 2–1 when Liverpool threw everyone forward in one last attack. A thunderous strike from Mac Allister looked destined for the net… but Donnarumma pulled off a massive, unbelievable save that left the entire stadium in shock
PURE ANFIELD MADNESS 😱🔥
97th minute. City clinging to a 2–1 lead. Liverpool throw everyone forward. The crowd is bouncing, the tension is unbearable…
Mac Allister absolutely thunders one towards goal — it’s heading in, no doubt abo
FULL HD VIDEO🎥 👇👇👇
ut it.
Then BOOM 💥
GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA pulls out a save from another universe 🤯
Reflexes. Reach. Nerves of steel.
Anfield frozen. Liverpool stunned. City survive.
One of those saves that changes the whole story of the match.
Goalkeeper moments don’t get crazier than this 🤣🧤🔥
Football, bloody hell.
Liverpool
BREAKING NEWS The Word From Liverpool Is’ – Arne Slot Sack Update Emerges After Man City Defeat
Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s job is believed to be safe for now, despite their recent home defeat against Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, according to journalist David Lynch.
The Reds looked as though they were heading to victory after Dominik Szboszlai fired in a stunning free-kick from range to put his side in front. Late in the game, Bernardo Silva latched onto a headed throughball by Erling Haaland, poking past Alisson Becker to level the scoring.
In the final minutes, Man City were awarded a penalty, and Erling Haaland stepped up to slot into the bottom corner, scoring the winner for Pep Guardiola’s side. City had the ball in the net once again in the dying seconds, but play was brought back for a foul by Szoboszlai, who was sent off after a VAR review.
Arne Slot Safe at Liverpool
According to journalist Lynch, Slot’s job at Liverpool is safe at the moment, but he doesn’t buy into the idea that he can afford endless poor performances and results.
The word from Liverpool is that Arne Slot is safe, but I don’t really buy the idea he can afford endless poor performances and bad results until the end of the season. Today was both, in my opinion. https://t.co/sjMRhibrZK — David Lynch (@davidlynchlfc) February 8, 2026
Liverpool are seemingly willing to stick with Slot for now, which might not be a huge surprise after he won the Premier League title last season. Their achievement in the 2024/2025 campaign undoubtedly carries a lot of weight, with Slot having credit in the bank heading into this campaign.
Results will undoubtedly have to improve, and with one Premier League win in their previous seven games, the pressure is on Slot to turn things around as soon as possible.
Liverpool need to make a decision and soon, as they are in danger of seeing their season drift away from them. The Reds will have been aiming to lift the Premier League title once again, but now, even Champions League qualification is looking like a difficult task.
The mentality to throw away a 1-0 lead against Man City is the biggest disappointment for them, especially as they’ve notoriously been a bogey team for Guardiola at Anfield. The credit in the bank will only last so long, and the board must surely be considering making a change in the near future
If FSG think that 6 wins out of the last 20, a points per game ratio similar to Spurs, behind United, just 2 points ahead of Everton and some dreadful football thrown in means he’s safe, then what would he have to do to be in trouble? FSG must see that he is not the answer. The Kop will decide on Slot’s fate as they did with Hodgson.
The idea having credit in the bank for having a past title, that’s only a rhyme at Lfc. We saw Mourinho being sacked for far less bad results though he is/was a seasoned manager. Had Slot won the CL? At Lfc it is all about the money. They fabricate reasons just not to sign new players. They do the same not to sack.
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