Dramatic Late Penalty Secures Manchester City Victory Over Liverpool
Anfield, Liverpool – Erling Haaland converted a stoppage-time penalty to hand Manchester City a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Liverpool in a pulsating Premier League encounter on . The win keeps City within striking distance of league leaders Arsenal, while Liverpool’s Champions League qualification hopes suffered a setback.
The match, touted as a major fixture on the weekend schedule, saw Liverpool take the lead through Dominik Szoboszlai in the 74th minute with a stunning free kick. However, City responded swiftly, with Bernardo Silva leveling the score in the 84th minute, assisted by Haaland. The drama wasn’t over there, as a chaotic sequence of events in added time ultimately decided the contest.
A potential third goal for Manchester City, scored by Rayan Cherki in the 93rd minute, was initially disallowed following a VAR review. The referee, after consulting the pitch-side monitor, determined that Szoboszlai had fouled Haaland in the build-up. However, the situation escalated further as it was also ruled that Haaland had committed a foul on Szoboszlai prior to Cherki’s strike. Szoboszlai was subsequently shown a red card for a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity.
The penalty was awarded after a challenge on Haaland in the penalty area during the extensive stoppage time. Haaland stepped up and calmly slotted the ball past Alisson, securing the three points for Pep Guardiola’s side. The final whistle blew shortly after, bringing an end to a breathless encounter.
The victory sees Manchester City close the gap on Arsenal to six points in the title race. Liverpool, meanwhile, remain on 39 points, trailing both Manchester United and Chelsea in the race for a top-four finish. They are five points behind Manchester United and four behind Chelsea.
The match was characterized by intensity and controversy, with several key decisions coming under scrutiny. A disallowed goal and a red card added to the drama, leaving fans and players alike reeling. The late penalty, ultimately proving decisive, sparked debate about the fairness of the call.
Prior to the match, both teams had been experiencing inconsistent form. Liverpool, despite a recent 4-1 win over Newcastle, had been struggling to find consistency under Arne Slot. Manchester City, having drawn with Tottenham the previous week, knew a win at Anfield was crucial to maintain pressure on Arsenal.
The game also highlighted the growing rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester City, a contest that has defined the Premier League title race in recent seasons. With Arsenal’s earlier win over Sunderland, the pressure was on City to respond, and they delivered in dramatic fashion.
The result leaves the Premier League title race wide open, with Arsenal, Manchester City, and several other teams still firmly in contention. Liverpool will need to regroup quickly if they are to salvage their season and secure a Champions League spot.
