Erling Haaland once again proved decisive as Manchester City snatched a dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield, keeping their Premier League title hopes alive with a gritty late comeback.
On a tense Sunday afternoon, Pep Guardiola’s side looked on course for defeat before Haaland flipped the contest in the closing stages.
Liverpool appeared to have seized a crucial victory when Dominik Szoboszlai bent a sublime free kick into the top corner in the 74th minute, sending Anfield into raptures.
For a while, the champions rediscovered the control and belief that powered last season’s title charge. City, by contrast, struggled to impose themselves and were second best for long spells.
But champions rarely fade quietly. In the 84th minute, Haaland finally made his presence felt, rising to nod the ball into Bernardo Silva’s path for a calm equalizer.
The momentum swung instantly. Deep into stoppage time, City were handed a golden chance when Alisson brought down Nico O’Reilly in the box. Haaland stepped up and, under immense pressure, rolled home the penalty to seal a famous win.
Tempers flared late on as Szoboszlai was sent off following a VAR review, compounding Liverpool’s misery and ruling him out of the next match.
The result cuts City’s gap to leaders Arsenal to six points and reinforces their knack for delivering in defining moments.
For Liverpool, another late collapse leaves their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread, underlining a season that continues to slip away at the margins.