Manchester City revived their Premier League ambitions with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, a contest settled deep into stoppage time by Erling Haaland’s nerveless penalty.
For long periods the match followed a familiar pattern of high-intensity chess between two rivals who know each other intimately.
Chances came and went at both ends, goalkeepers were tested, and the midfield battle raged without either side landing a decisive blow.
The Sky Blues looked to be drifting towards a damaging defeat after Dominik Szoboszlai’s brilliant free-kick, yet a late surge led by captain Bernardo Silva transformed the narrative and kept Pep Guardiola’s men within touching distance of the summit.
Then, in a breathtaking final quarter of an hour, the encounter erupted. Two goals, a red card and VAR controversy pushed the contest beyond the 100-minute mark and left Anfield stunned.
Haaland’s winner arrived in the 93rd minute after Matheus Nunes was felled by Alisson Becker inside the box. The Norwegian stepped up to convert with typical conviction, silencing the home support and sparking wild celebrations among the travelling fans.
City’s anger over their late disallowed goal quickly faded as the reality of three priceless points set in. The Cityzens had survived one of the most demanding assignments in English football and emerged with their season still alive.
The result does not put City back in control of the title race, but it ensures the story still has several chapters to run.
Defeat would have left Guardiola’s side staring at a daunting gap, yet victory has restored belief that another comeback is possible.
After the match, Bernardo Silva spoke with the authority of a leader who understands the significance of the moment. His words reflected both relief and determination.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “I feel the whole Manchester City team knew before the game that if we lost this game, probably the title race is over.
“They [Arsenal] are still in a much better position than us, but we felt like we needed to win this game. This puts us a bit closer, the hope is there, we’re going to fight until the end – but six points is still six points.
“For the distance that we have to Arsenal, obviously coming here to Anfield is always… For me, it’s the toughest place in the Premier League, by far. And usually, for most teams, a draw is not a bad result. But we needed to go for another goal, so when I scored I was quite happy obviously because we were back in the game, but we needed another one.”
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Silva’s assessment captured the broader picture. Arsenal remain favourites, and a six-point gap is substantial at this stage of the campaign, yet City have a history of hunting down leaders in the spring.
The character shown on Merseyside will reinforce the belief that such a feat can be repeated.
For Liverpool, the defeat was a cruel blow after so much promising work. Szoboszlai’s red card compounded the frustration and will leave Arne Slot with selection problems in the weeks ahead.
The hosts contributed fully to a gripping spectacle but were punished for failing to manage the closing stages.
Meanwhile, Guardiola, watching from the touchline, will know there is still room for improvement.
City were far from their fluent best and at times struggled to cope with Liverpool’s pace on the counter-attack.
