Erling's shirt pull, Salah's arm.
Sorry to keep mulling this over, but I really can't get it out my head. Erling's “shirt pull”, if you watch it in real time, which is how it happened, there really is nothing to see. There is no clear and obvious error. Taylor had been letting that go on all over the pitch for the entire match, from both sides. But let that one pass.
There is, however, the supplementary question of phase of play. Whatever happened between Erling and Fabinho, watch it back, and it seems to be patently in a different phase of play to Foden's goal.
Now. Salah's arm, his using it to stifle the rebound of the ball, put it down on to his foot, and gain a clear advantage on Cancelo such that he can no longer catch him, is in exactly the phase of play from which the goal comes. Obviously, because it's the offender, directly, who scores it.
There is only one possible conclusion: I've never believed in a conspiracy against City, and for the dippers. But here is a clear case where the rules are being applied differently. There really does seem to be one rule for LFC, when they're at Anfield, and another for everyone else.
I'm even prepared to concede that Liverpool had far clearer chances than ours, and that they should in fact have put the game out of sight. The fact is they didn't. As far as I can understand it, we had a good goal ruled out, contrary to the rules, and they had an illegitimate goal allowed, contrary to the rules.
Or am I misunderstanding something?
That game leaves a really bad taste. We had two magnificent games against them last season, and fair dos, the one at Anfield I have pretty much even, the second one we battered them, but didn't take our chances, and they came back at us. Two great games of football for the neutral. I'll accept that.
I'm still fucking seething, in fact. Bring on Brighton so we can get this out of our system.
