Who’d be a referee?

As Erling Haaland and Dominik Szoboszlai swapped fouls in a desperate attempt for the Liverpool man to prevent Manchester City’s striker from tapping into an empty net, the general consensus in the football world was that the two fouls should count each other out, and the goal should have stood.

But the laws of football don’t have a clause allowing match officials to go with the flow, to vibe a decision or use generally accepted common sense despite the pleas of fans and pundits alike.

Two wrongs don't make a right - the referee had to disallow Manchester City's third goal at Anfield after Dominic Szoboszlai fouled Erling Haaland, before the City man fouled him back

Referee Craig Pawson and his VAR colleague John Brooks had no choice but to apply the rules as they stand – to deem that two wrongs don’t make a right and that advantage could not be played once Haaland fouled Szoboszlai back. The Liverpool player was sent off and faces a ban, and City saw the chance of a 3-1 Anfield victory reduced to a 2-1 win.

After the game, Haaland, his manager, pundits and supporters bemoaned the...