Manchester City’s late victory over Liverpool reignited the Premier League title race as a stoppage-time penalty secured a dramatic 2–1 win at Anfield, ending the champions’ eight-match unbeaten run at home and piling pressure on leaders Arsenal.
Anfield has rarely been kind to City in recent years, and this clash carried huge risk in a season where their margin for error is slim.
City could have struck early when Bernardo Silva slipped Erling Haaland clean through, but Alisson Becker reacted sharply to block the Norwegian’s effort before Milos Kerkez cleared the danger. An even clearer opening followed for Omar Marmoush, who raced through unchallenged only to drag his finish wide, with an offside flag eventually sparing his embarrassment.
Liverpool struggled to assert themselves in the first half, spending long spells pinned back. Their first real sight of goal came via Mohamed Salah, whose deflected effort off Marc Guéhi drifted narrowly past the post. The hosts felt hard done by before the break when Salah appeared to be tugged inside the area by Silva, though referee Craig Pawson and VAR waved away appeals.
After the restart, Liverpool squandered a golden opportunity when Salah’s inch-perfect delivery found Hugo Ekitike unmarked, only for the forward to somehow head wide from close range. Florian Wirtz was next to waste a clear chance, his effort blocked by a brave Guéhi after a flowing move.
City’s new signing remained a focal point, particularly in a controversial incident where he brought down Salah just outside the box and avoided further punishment following a VAR check.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 74th minute when Dominik Szoboszlai unleashed a thunderous free-kick from distance that crashed in off the post, sending Anfield into raptures.
City responded swiftly. Six minutes from time, Haaland’s knockdown found Silva, who poked home to level and set up a frantic finale. That momentum proved decisive when Alisson brought down Matheus Nunes in the box, allowing Haaland to calmly convert the resulting penalty.
A chaotic closing sequence followed, including a disallowed long-range effort and a red card for Szoboszlai after denying a clear goalscoring chance, but none of it altered the outcome.
City held on to claim just their third win in 39 visits to Anfield, a result that keeps the Premier League title race very much alive.
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