Anfield bore witness to a statement victory on Sunday, as Manchester City overcame Liverpool 2-1 in a dramatic Premier League encounter. While the three points are vital in a tightening title race, Erling Haaland and others within the City camp acknowledged a significance beyond the league table. The win, City’s first under Pep Guardiola at Anfield outside of a fan-free Covid season, represents a potential turning point for a team that had begun to slip from the top of the standings.
City entered the match nine points behind league leaders Arsenal, a deficit that felt increasingly insurmountable given their recent form – just one league win in their previous six games. Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning 74th-minute free-kick threatened to extend that gap and deepen the sense of unease surrounding the champions. However, a late rally, sparked by Bernardo Silva’s equalizer in the 83rd minute and capped by Haaland’s stoppage-time penalty, flipped the script and sent a clear message to their rivals.
“It’s three points, it’s three points, it’s three points, simple as that, no matter who you play… if it is Tottenham or whatever,” Haaland said, downplaying the broader implications initially. But pressed further, he conceded, “But I know what you mean. And yes, definitely, it’s true.” The Norwegian striker acknowledged the emotional weight of the victory, particularly for the travelling City supporters.
“Of course [it was a statement],” Haaland continued. “And look at the emotions with the fans in the end. It was amazing. They deserve it after supporting us week in, week out. Yeah, they definitely deserve to win at Anfield.”
The victory cuts Arsenal’s lead to six points, injecting renewed life into City’s title challenge. While Haaland dismissed the idea of sending a direct message to the Gunners, he emphasized the importance of the result for City’s own momentum. “No, not really,” he said when asked about a message to Arsenal. “But it sends a good statement to our fans.”
Haaland’s penalty, awarded after Matheus Nunes was brought down by Alisson, was not without late drama. City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a crucial save to deny Alexis Mac Allister in the 99th minute, preserving City’s lead. A late goal from substitute Rayan Cherki was disallowed, and Liverpool’s Szoboszlai received a red card, adding further layers of intensity to the closing moments.
The match also marked Haaland’s first goal at Anfield, a significant milestone for a player who had previously struggled to find the net at the iconic stadium. However, the forward was quick to acknowledge that his overall form has dipped since the start of the year. “I haven’t scored enough goals since the start of this year and I know that I need to improve,” he admitted. “I need to be more sharp, better at all of this and this is something that I have to work on.”
Haaland attributed his recent struggles not to any specific issue, but to the demands of a grueling schedule. “I don’t want to speak about why I haven’t performed. I don’t think there’s any excuse. Fatigue is a lot in the head. It is a lot of games. Look at the schedule: it’s not easy. For me, it’s about staying fit, don’t get injured. That’s the most important thing. And try to be ready to help the team.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, meanwhile, lamented his team’s inability to execute their game plan effectively, particularly in the first half. Virgil van Dijk revealed that Slot had instructed the team to be more direct in their approach, attempting to exploit the space behind City’s defense. However, the players struggled to implement this strategy. “We were trying to be more direct,” Van Dijk explained. “We were playing much more long balls for the space in behind because we know how City try to shut off the left, so if we invite the press from the start it could create trouble. Obviously we weren’t good enough in that sense and when they had the ball we couldn’t get the pressure we wanted.”
Van Dijk also highlighted Liverpool’s recent tendency to concede late goals, a pattern that is proving costly in their title defense. “Maybe you can compare the Palace goal and the Bournemouth goal but this one you can’t compare with the others. But the fact is we conceded late on and, I keep saying it, we have to do better in this.” Liverpool have now conceded winning goals in the 90th minute or later in four Premier League games this season, alongside drawing two matches after conceding in stoppage time.
City’s victory at Anfield is more than just a tactical triumph; it’s a psychological boost for a team that had begun to doubt itself. With a home fixture against Fulham looming on Thursday, Guardiola’s side will look to build on this momentum and continue to close the gap on Arsenal. The title race, as Haaland rightly pointed out, is far from over.
