Summary:
- Liverpool led through Szoboszlai’s free kick before City struck twice late to turn the game around.
- Haaland scored a stoppage-time penalty after Bernardo Silva’s late equaliser.
- The win maintains City in the title race.
Manchester City needed patience, nerve, and a late dose of chaos to leave Anfield with a 2-1 win that keeps their Premier League title hopes alive. For long stretches, it looked like Liverpool had done enough. In the end, Erling Haaland had the final say from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time.
Heated Game Turned Frantic
Liverpool struck first with help from Dominik Szoboszlai’s superb free kick past Gianluigi Donnarumma, sending Anfield into full voice and putting the home side on course for a statement win.
City had controlled large parts of the first half, but clear chances were rare and Alisson dealt comfortably with Haaland’s early effort.
The second half belonged to Liverpool for a while. They pressed higher, played with more intent, and began to pin City back. Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike both had chances, and Florian Wirtz should have done better when well placed. When Szoboszlai’s free kick flew in, it felt deserved.
City, though, refused to fade. With six minutes left, Bernardo Silva forced the equaliser after a cross from substitute Rayan Cherki dropped kindly in the box. Suddenly, the game turned frantic. Moments later, Matheus Nunes was brought down by Alisson inside the area, leaving the crowd stunned.
Haaland stepped up and calmly converted to give City a lead that seemed almost impossible minutes earlier.
There was still time for more controversy. Donnarumma produced a huge save from Alexis Mac Allister, then Cherki appeared to score at the other end with Alisson upfield. VAR intervened, the goal was ruled out, and Szoboszlai was sent off in a decision that left both sides unhappy.
Haaland afterwards,
Just give the goal, don’t give a red card. Simple as that. It’s the rules and how it is.
The result pulls City to within six points of Arsenal, a gap Bernardo Silva admitted felt crucial.
The whole team knew that if we lost this game, probably the title race is over/ We’re going to fight until the end.
Guardiola: “In Football You Never Know.”
Pep Guardiola struck a cautious tone.
All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal. In football you never know.
For Liverpool, the frustration ran deep. Arne Slot focused on an earlier incident where Marc Guehi escaped with a yellow card for pulling Salah back.
If l had to talk about one moment, it would be when Salah was through on goal and Guehi had his shirt
Despite the anger, Slot pointed to real progress.
Second half, our standards went up. A fantastic second half.
Still, progress means little without points. What looked like a turning moment for Liverpool instead became another painful setback, while City walked away believing the title race is far from finished.