Erling Haaland scored a dramatic 93rd-minute penalty as Manchester Metropolis pulled off a surprising comeback in opposition to Liverpool to maintain the Premier League title race alive.
A battling win for Pep Guardiola’s second-placed facet lower Arsenal’s lead on the high to 6 factors, with 13 video games remaining.
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Bernardo Silva’s 84th-minute equaliser had initially cancelled out Dominik Szoboszlai’s very good free-kick 10 minutes earlier.
Then in added time, Matheus Nunes was bundled over contained in the field by Liverpool keeper Alisson and referee Craig Pawson pointed to the spot.
Haaland made no mistake, as he scored his twenty first Premier League of the season to ship the visiting followers wild.
Metropolis keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma then made an excellent save to disclaim Alexis Mac Allister – a minute earlier than Metropolis had the ball within the internet once more by way of Rayan Cherki’s end from inside his personal half, with Alisson out of his aim after supporting his facet’s assault.
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However the effort was dominated out after a video assistant referee (VAR) examine, with Szoboszlai as a substitute despatched off for fouling Haaland earlier than the ball rolled in, and a free-kick awarded to Metropolis as a substitute.
Both means, it did not matter as Metropolis gained at Anfield for the primary time since 2021, however in entrance of followers for a primary time since 2003.
Metropolis dominated possession within the first half however didn’t make it rely by taking their probabilities, with Alisson making a great block to disclaim Haaland within the first minute and once more later within the half.
Their entrance three of Haaland, Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush continuously requested Liverpool’s defence questions however lacked that ruthlessness in entrance of aim.
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It took 25 minutes for Arne Slot’s facet to have an try on aim themselves, however they have been significantly better after the break, with Hugo Ekitike twice coming near the opener.
First, his right-footed strike went narrowly large with Donnarumma overwhelmed, and minutes later, Salah discovered Ekitike with an outstanding sliced cross however the Frenchman’s header drifted agonisingly large.
With a draw no good for Metropolis, the sport opened up and Ruben Dias got here shut with a shot, earlier than Florian Wirtz was denied by a terrific block from Marc Guehi on the different finish.
By some means the sport remained goalless till the 74th minute when Szoboszlai stepped as much as rating his ninth aim of the marketing campaign with an absolute belter from a set-piece – in the identical method that he did in opposition to Arsenal right here in August.
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It was hit from round 30 yards and swerved contained in the submit, leaving Donnarumma static and helpless.
However not like that day when Liverpool held on for victory, Metropolis confirmed large resilience to finish a memorable comeback.
With hypothesis about his future, it stays to be seen if Guardiola has managed his final sport for Metropolis at Anfield.
But when he has, he’ll finish with a uncommon win. This was his eleventh go to and his solely earlier win (D3 L6) got here right here in 2021, when the sport was performed with out followers because of the pandemic.
This was additionally solely Metropolis’s third league win at Liverpool in 23 conferences as they accomplished a notable first league double over their rivals because the 1936-37 marketing campaign.
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Extra to comply with.
Liverpool evaluation: Reds fail to carry on after Szoboszlai stunner
As soon as Szoboszlai scored a aim worthy of profitable many a soccer match, Liverpool mustn’t have misplaced this sport.
Slot’s facet have been poor within the first half, however seemed a distinct pressure within the second interval, with Salah, Wirtz and Ekitike all rising into the sport.
Szoboszlai’s strike left a lot of the floor in disbelief, with Ibrahima Konate holding his arms on his head.
However, but once more, Liverpool didn’t see the sport out.
Solely this time, it went from dangerous to worse when Alisson made a poor determination to convey Nunes crashing down for the penalty.
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Liverpool have now conceded 4 Ninetieth-minute winners in league matches this season – the joint-most by a group in a single Premier League marketing campaign after Watford in 2017-18, West Ham in 2021-22, Watford once more in 2021-22, and Southampton in 2024-25.
And with Szoboszlai dismissed – as he grabbed Haaland’s shirt to stop the Norwegian striker ensuring Cherki’s shot went in – and banned for Wednesday’s sport in opposition to Sunderland, it stays to be seen who might fill in at right-back.
Guardiola had spoken pre-match concerning the energy of Anfield and the way it was a stage that known as for giant personalities to make a distinction.
Sadly for Liverpool, it was Metropolis who turned up in numbers on that entrance when it mattered most.
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Slot’s facet at the moment are 4 factors behind fifth-placed Chelsea. There’s nonetheless a protracted technique to go, however it might be inexplicable if the present champions didn’t qualify for subsequent season’s Champions League.