Erling Haaland’s stoppage-time penalty on Sunday earned Manchester City a dramatic 2-1 win at Liverpool to reduce Arsenal’s lead at the top of the English Premier League back to six points.
City were heading for defeat at Anfield with six minutes to go before Bernardo Silva canceled out Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick to spark an incredible finale.
Haaland put City in front from the penalty spot before the visitors had another goal ruled out and Szoboszlai was sent off in the same incident after a video assistant referee review. Victory was City’s first away to Liverpool in front of a crowd since 2003 and reapplies some pressure to Arsenal’s quest for a first title in 22 years.
Photo: AP
“I feel the whole team knew before the game if we lost it then the title race was probably over,” Silva said. “We felt like we needed to win.”
Defeat delivered another blow to Liverpool’s hopes of playing in the UEFA Champions League next season.
The defending champions remain down in sixth and four points adrift of the top five.
The two clubs have combined to win the past eight Premier League titles, but both showed the flaws that have opened the door for Arsenal to potentially end their long wait to be crowned champions of England once again.
Haaland has scored just once from open play in his past 13 games and an uncharacteristic lack of confidence from the Norwegian showed with the best chance of the first half inside the opening two minutes.
Silva’s clever pass split the Liverpool defense, but Haaland’s shot lacked conviction under pressure from Milos Kerkez and Alisson Becker was able to save low to his left.
Second-half slumps have been a consistent feature of City’s season and the visitors again faded in the second period until a late flurry saved their title challenge.
“Second half we pressed really high and played good football,” Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said. “We have improved so much, but we need to improve the results.”
Marc Guehi was relentlessly booed after his proposed move to Liverpool from Crystal Palace broke down on transfer deadline day in September last year.
City took advantage to swoop in last month when they lost two key centerbacks to injury.
Guehi was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card when he dragged down Mo Salah just outside the penalty area in a decision that infuriated Slot, but it was City who were left fuming at the award of the free-kick which led to the opener when Ryan Gravenberch went down under minimal contact.
Szoboszlai scored the only goal with an outrageous free-kick when Arsenal visited Anfield in August last year and produced another stunning strike which clipped the inside of the post before finding the net.
However, the Hungarian went from hero to villain when City leveled six minutes from time.
Szoboszlai played Silva onside as he slid in to volley home Haaland’s header for City’s first second-half goal in the Premier League this calender year.
Alisson then wiped out Matheus Nunes to concede a penalty and Haaland kept his cool from the spot to put City in front.
Pep Guardiola’s men then needed a stunning save from Gianluigi Donnarumma to tip behind Alexis Mac Allister’s shot.
With Alisson remaining forward from the resulting corner, the Liverpool goal was open when Rayan Cherki took aim from the halfway line to roll the ball into an empty net.
However, Haaland and Szoboszlai’s grappling as the ball trickled toward the goal saw the strike ruled out, with a free-kick awarded to City instead, and the Liverpool player was given his marching orders.
Earlier, Ismaila Sarr’s second-half goal helped Crystal Palace end a woeful 12-match winless run with a 1-0 victory away to bitter rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.
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