Man Utd legend Wayne Rooney makes hilarious Winter Olympics comparison about Liverpool-Man City VAR debacle after Erling Haaland's tussle with Dominik Szoboszlai

The high-stakes encounter between Liverpool and City at Anfield reached a fever pitch in the 100th minute when Rayan Cherki appeared to have added a third for the visitors. With Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker stranded upfield following a desperate corner, Cherki rolled the ball into an empty net from the halfway line. However, the celebrations in the away end were short-lived as a lengthy VAR review eventually disallowed the goal and resulted in a red card for Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai.

The decision hinged on a frantic double-tussle between Erling Haaland and Szoboszlai as they chased Cherki's goalbound effort. While the ball eventually trickled over the line, the officials ruled that both players had fouled each other in the build-up. Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the ex-United star revealed a funny observation about the incident.

While the technicalities of the decision dominated much of the post-match discussion, Rooney provided a lighter take on the slow-motion drama that unfolded as the ball rolled toward the goal. Rooney revealed that his guest in the studio, former City goalkeeper Joe Hart, had made a sharp observation during the live broadcast regarding the lack of pace on Cherki's strike.

"Joe Hart was saying in here, when we were watching the game, it was like... it was like watching the curling at the Winter Olympics," Rooney joked. The comparison referred to the agonisingly slow speed at which the ball moved, allowing Szoboszlai and Haaland time to physically wrestle with one another as they tried to influence whether the ball would actually cross the line. The presenter echoed this sentiment, suggesting that Cherki was partially to blame for the controversy, adding: "I think we need to give Rayan Cherki some pointers on how to actually score a goal from the halfway line... if he just hit that with a bit of intent, none of this would be happening."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Despite the humour, Rooney was quick to point out the damaging effect VAR is having on the passion of the Premier League. While he acknowledged that the officials eventually reached the correct technical conclusion based on the rulebook, he lamented the lack of "common sense" applied to a moment that should have been a highlight of the season. For Rooney, the decision to disallow the goal and send off Szoboszlai was a prime example of the "spirit of the game" being sacrificed for procedural accuracy.

"To be fair to the officials, and I've had a go at officials all season, they have gone by the rules and I suppose they've got the right decision, but a bit of common sense would've been nice for once," Rooney admitted. He went on to deliver a damning verdict on the technology itself, stating: "Once you look at the rules, you do understand why it's given, but it just takes all the passion... I'd prefer not to have VAR because I think it's terrible."

The decision left striker Haaland raging after the game. The Norway star argued on Sky Sports that the referee should have allowed the goal to stand, citing his sympathy for his opponent for the red card. 

"I think, for me, of course the referee has to follow the rules," he said.

"But this will give him [Szoboszlai] three games [ban]. I feel bad for him, because he gets three games. Just give the goal, don't give red cards, it's as simple as that.

"But I think it's the rules. This is just how it is. I don't know. In the end, Cherki just passed me the ball and I couldn't score, but that's just how it is."