Arne Slot: Marc Guehi ought to have received a red card for pulling Mohamed Salah’s shirt.

Arne Slot has stated that Marc Guéhi ought to have received a red card for his tackle on Mohamed Salah during Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City.

Erling Haaland netted the decisive goal for the visitors in stoppage time at Anfield, while Rayan Cherki’s attempt was ruled out due to a red card incident involving Dominik Szoboszlai in the lead-up.

Nonetheless, Slot contends that Guéhi should have been sent off earlier in the second half after he pulled Salah back near the edge of the penalty area.

“When you inquire about which decision, I thought, are you referring to the disallowed goal at City, the penalty awarded to them in the away match against us, the clear red card on Mo Salah in the second half here, or the penalty they received in the second half, or do you mean this [Szoboszlai red card] decision?” Slot remarked.

“That’s just over two matches, and the ones that follow Liverpool know how many decisions I could mention from all the other games as well, all the significant decisions that could have gone either way in certain situations.”

“I can accept the fact, even though I dislike it, that the referee adheres to the rulebook and Dominik commits a foul on Haaland in that instance, which is a clear shirt-pull and he was through on goal so he would have scored. That’s a red card.”

“I believe the Sunderland manager is quite pleased he issued a red card.”

“If you adhere to the rulebook, and there is a clear shirt-pull by Guéhi on Mo Salah, who for eight years has been scoring that ball 100 times out of 100 — perhaps a bit of an exaggeration — and it is not a red card, then that adds to my frustration.”

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“I can accept the red card for Dom. If you appreciate football, you might say ‘ah, let it be a goal, it’s good for them and good for everyone,’ but as the Sunderland manager, you would prefer to view it as a red card.”

“That’s the rule, and adhering to the rules is all I request… My primary frustration lies in the shirt-pull on Mo Salah at 0-0, clear and open, one-on-one with the goalkeeper.”

Liverpool’s recent defeat leaves them in sixth place in the Premier League standings, five points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United.

“I am experiencing anger and disappointment,” Slot expressed.

“In the first half, City were the superior team on the pitch without generating many significant chances aside from the one from Haaland in the opening minutes.”

“They performed better with the ball, but the progress we have made over the past three or four months was evident to everyone.”

“In the second half, our standards increased, in terms of intensity, we were pressing them all over the field, and that is the most significant improvement we have made in the last two or three months.”

“That the entire [team] is capable of performing so well off the ball against one of the teams that is likely the best, perhaps the best team in England in ball possession, is a considerable improvement.”

“A fantastic second half. I anticipated more than being one goal ahead and then conceding two goals.”