Amidst the drama, commotion, and heated exchanges, Manchester City departed the Anfield pitch with the invigorating confidence of a team still very much in the running for the Premier League title.
Pep Guardiola, their manager, may have expressed doubts about whether his youthful and transitioning squad is prepared to clinch a championship. He made this clear last Friday. However, the final 15 minutes of this thrilling match painted a different picture—his players seem eager to challenge his skepticism.
As the clock ticked down with just six minutes of regular time remaining, it seemed the game—and perhaps the title—was slipping away.
Yet, an equalizer from the ever-reliable Bernardo Silva and a critical penalty from Erling Haaland, following a significant mistake by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, shifted the momentum entirely. This dramatic turnaround sent a strong message south to the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad appears to have bounced back from their recent loss to Manchester United, signaling a return to their dominant form. However, witnessing City’s tenacity and the manner of their comeback will surely keep Arsenal alert. From now on, they are bound to feel City’s persistent pursuit, and this is as crucial as it sounds.
Guardiola may not be sure his young transitional team are ready to win a title but by the looks of the final quarter of an hour of this fabulous game, his players fancy a shot at proving him wrong
Bernardo Silva scored the equaliser for City in the 84th minute to turn the game on its head
Liverpool’s scintillating second-half performance seemed set to leave Arsenal’s lead over City at the top at nine points
Psychological factors play a significant role in a title race, something Arsenal is acutely aware of. Having faltered before, they’ll now be glancing in their rear-view mirror, acutely aware of Manchester City’s looming presence.
And that’s all that City can do from here on in. Make it tight. Make it feel like a race. Make every single weekend matter. Guardiola will already have ringed the weekend of April 18-19 in his diary because that’s when Arsenal come to east Manchester. If the race is still on at that point then some of the smart money will start to be spent on those in blue. Until Arsenal do manage to win their first title since 2004, that is the way it will continue to be.
There was some madness right at the end here, the likes of which maybe we haven’t seen before.
With Liverpool keeper Alisson searching a miracle and perhaps some redemption upfield, City substitute Rayan Cherki shot towards the Liverpool goal from inside his own half. Szoboszlai tugged on Haaland’s shirt but failed to stop him. Then Haaland returned the favour. The ball rolled in to the net and pandemonium ensued. City fans were on the pitch. Stewards lumbered after them. The City bench – that seemed to number about three dozen – were off down the touchline and, with just seconds remaining, the game was pretty much over. Time to shake hands and get off? Sadly not as referee Craig Pawson had a peek at the VAR monitor and sent off Szobaszlai before ruling out the goal.
It was the right decision but City lost a goal and Liverpool a player for their next game at Sunderland on Wednesday. So, in effect, both teams lost out and that was reflected by a febrile mood at the denouement.
For Liverpool this will feel devastating. They were poor in the first half and looked there for the beating. After the interval it was different. They were the better side and finally looked recognisable.
But Arne Slot’s team cannot shake the habit of finishing games badly. Last season’s version would have seen this one out for the win but this season’s version lost it. Liverpool don’t tend to score many scrappy, ugly goals but they certainly concede plenty.
The City equaliser wasn’t particularly clever while Alisson’s decision to dash out to Matheus Nunes for the decisive penalty was catastrophic and Liverpool are now in danger of losing touch with the Champions League places. If Slot cannot guide his team of champions into the top five spots ahead of deeply flawed teams such as Chelsea and, horror of horrors, United then he really will be in trouble. His subsequent moans about the referee were understandable but not founded on very much.
Alisson’s decision to dash out to Matheus Nunes for the decisive penalty was catastrophic
Marc Guehi – booed throughout by fans of the team he almost joined last September – strolled through the first half
In the first half City were too good. Haaland may have scored early after Silva played him in and Guardiola’s team ended the opening 45 minutes having registered ten shots at the Kop end. Liverpool had been sporadically dangerous on the counter but had never looked remotely like scoring.
There have been some recent improvements in Liverpool’s play recently, though, and they contributed to an opening half an hour of the second period that seemed about to win them the game.
As Liverpool improved, so the crowd became engaged. City have been here before at Anfield and they almost buckled.
Marc Guehi – booed throughout by fans of the team he almost joined last September – had strolled through the first half. In the second, the VAR briefly considered recommending a red card for a tug on Mo Salah. A yellow sufficed but it was close.
Liverpool threatened through Salah and Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz. The latter duo both should have scored. Then, with a stunning free-kick from 30 yards in the 74th minute, Szobozslai did so.
Why City lined up with only two men in the defensive wall is something only they will know but Szoboszlai had plenty to aim at and Donnarumma was rooted to the spot as the ball swerved away from him, struck his left-hand post and went in.
City had a little over 15 minutes to save their league season and for a while there was little sign of a response. Haaland had been particularly quiet since missing that early chance. But when a cross from Cherki reached him on the edge of the penalty area, he powered above Ibrahima Konate and when Silva moved cleverly off the back of Virgil van Dijk, he stretched to slide in the equaliser.
The beauty of what followed was to be found in how much both teams wanted and tried to win. A draw was not much use to either and it showed. It could have gone either way but Alisson’s rush to fell Nunes by the byline was horrendous while Donnarumma’s subsequent added time stretch to deny Alexis MacAllister was a save to reignite a season.
