Manchester City kept their Premier League title aspirations alive with a breathless 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. In a match defined by late drama, VAR interventions, and a red card, Erling Haaland’s nerves of steel from the penalty spot secured three vital points for Pep Guardiola’s side, closing the gap on league leaders Arsenal to six points.
A Tale of Two Halves
The first half was a masterclass in tactical tension. Manchester City dominated possession and registered ten shots on target, yet they were repeatedly thwarted by a resolute Liverpool defence and an inspired Alisson Becker. Liverpool, playing on the counter-attack, carved out several openings of their own, but a lack of clinical finishing left the scoreline goalless at the interval.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 74th minute when Dominik Szoboszlai curled a magnificent free-kick into the top corner, the ball glancing off the post on its way in. For ten minutes, Anfield dared to dream of a victory that would bolster their waning Champions League hopes. However, the Hungarian midfielder’s evening soon spiralled from heroic to catastrophic.
Late Drama and VAR Chaos
In the 84th minute, Szoboszlai failed to clear an Erling Haaland header, allowing Bernardo Silva to pounce. The Portuguese playmaker bypassed the Liverpool midfielder with ease, rifling a volley past Alisson to equalise.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, the intensity reached a fever pitch. Alisson was judged to have brought down Matheus Nunes in the box, prompting the referee to point to the spot. Erling Haaland stepped up in the 93rd minute, coolly slotting home the penalty to silence the Kop.
The drama did not end there. In the dying embers of the game, City appeared to have scored a third during a frantic scramble. However, a lengthy VAR review resulted in the goal being disallowed for a prior foul. In the ensuing scuffle, Szoboszlai’s night ended in ignominy as he was shown a straight red card, leaving Liverpool with ten men and a stinging defeat.
Premier League Standings: The Race for Europe
| Position | Club | Matches Played | Points | Form |
| 1 | Arsenal | 25 | 56 | WWWWW |
| 2 | Manchester City | 25 | 50 | WDWWW |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 25 | 47 | WWLDW |
| 4 | Manchester United | 25 | 44 | LWWLW |
| 5 | Chelsea | 25 | 43 | WDLWW |
| 6 | Liverpool | 25 | 39 | LLWDL |
Implications for the Season
For Manchester City, the win provides the necessary momentum to hunt down Arsenal. For Liverpool, the defeat is a significant blow to their European ambitions; they now sit in sixth place, four points adrift of Chelsea and five behind Manchester United. With the business end of the season approaching, Jurgen Klopp’s men face an uphill battle to secure a top-four finish.