Image source: Liverpool
Anfield was left in disbelief on Sunday evening as Liverpool suffered a painful 2-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester City, a match that swung violently in the final minutes despite the Reds looking firmly in control for long stretches of the second half.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick had given Liverpool a deserved lead, but late goals from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland, including a stoppage-time penalty, turned the contest on its head. What followed was a chaotic and controversial finale that saw Szoboszlai sent off and a dramatic long-range goal ruled out. It was a night that summed up the fine margins at the very top of English football.
Team News and Starting Lineups
Arne Slot stuck with the same Liverpool side that had impressed in their 4-1 victory over Newcastle United eight days earlier, showing confidence in a settled lineup.
Liverpool XI:
Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike, Ryan Gravenberch
Substitutes Used:
Curtis Jones, Federico Chiesa
Unused substitutes included Caoimhin Kelleher’s replacement Giorgi Mamardashvili, Wataru Endo, Andy Robertson, and several young options.
Manchester City arrived with their usual blend of control, pace, and clinical edge, led by Erling Haaland up front.
Fast and Furious Opening at Anfield
The match exploded into life almost immediately. Just two minutes in, Bernardo Silva slipped a clever pass into the Liverpool box for Haaland, who found himself one-on-one with Alisson. The Liverpool goalkeeper reacted brilliantly, aided by Milos Kerkez, to deny the Norwegian and keep the scores level. City continued to probe early, with Omar Marmoush dragging a chance wide after getting in behind, although Liverpool’s offside line ensured there was little danger.
Liverpool responded with quality of their own. Alexis Mac Allister delivered a sublime forward pass that released Mohamed Salah in the box. The Egyptian cut inside and fired goalwards, only for Marc Guehi’s deflection to send the ball narrowly wide.
Florian Wirtz then showcased his vision with a sharp pass through City’s defensive line, but Hugo Ekitike was blocked at the edge of the area before he could pull the trigger.
Haaland tested Alisson again with a bouncing effort from a Rodri delivery, but the Brazilian goalkeeper was equal to it. Despite the high tempo and attacking intent from both sides, the first half ended goalless.
Liverpool Turn the Screw After the Break
Liverpool came out with real intent in the second half and should have taken the lead within moments. Cody Gakpo squared the ball across the box for Salah, but the forward failed to make clean contact when well placed. There was a brief moment of panic when Alisson miskicked under pressure from Marmoush, but Szoboszlai reacted quickly to clear the danger.
Liverpool began to dominate possession and territory. Szoboszlai fired a low effort straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Ekitike curled a shot wide after excellent pressing from Salah and Wirtz forced a turnover.
Alisson then showed his distribution skills, catching an Antoine Semenyo strike and instantly launching a counter-attack. The move ended with Ekitike heading just wide from Salah’s clever toe-poked cross.
City struggled to escape their own half, with Ruben Dias slicing a shot off target and Wirtz seeing an effort blocked once more by Guehi. A key moment arrived when Guehi cynically pulled back Salah on the edge of the box. VAR reviewed the incident for a potential red card but ruled it was not a denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Szoboszlai’s World-Class Free-Kick Lights Up Anfield
Liverpool finally broke the deadlock in the 74th minute, and it was worth the wait. Standing over a free-kick more than 25 yards from goal, Dominik Szoboszlai made his intentions obvious. The strike that followed was simply magnificent. The ball was struck with power and precision, swerving through the air before crashing off the inside of the right post and into the net. Anfield erupted. It felt like a decisive moment in a game Liverpool had controlled.
City’s Ruthless Late Response
Manchester City, however, are never truly beaten. Ten minutes after falling behind, they found an equaliser. Haaland nodded a ball into the path of Bernardo Silva, who reacted quickest to prod the ball home from close range.
The momentum shifted instantly, and the closing stages descended into chaos. At the start of seven minutes of added time, Alisson rushed from his goal and collided with Matheus Nunes. The referee pointed straight to the penalty spot. Haaland stepped up and calmly guided his kick into the bottom left corner, sending Alisson the wrong way and silencing Anfield.
Chaos, Controversy, and a Red Card Finale
The drama was not over. Alisson redeemed himself with a fine save from Rayan Ait-Nouri, while Donnarumma produced an outstanding stop to tip a deflected Mac Allister effort wide.
With nothing left to lose, Liverpool sent Alisson forward for the final attack. City broke away, and Rayan Cherki rolled a shot from near the halfway line towards the empty net.
As the ball trickled goalwards, Haaland and Szoboszlai tangled while chasing it down. The ball crossed the line, but celebrations were cut short. Officials ruled that Szoboszlai had committed a foul in the incident and showed the Hungarian a red card. As a result, Cherki’s goal was disallowed, bringing a bizarre and frustrating end to the contest.
What the Result Means for Liverpool
This defeat will hurt Liverpool deeply. For much of the match, they were the better side. They pressed well, created the clearer chances, and looked comfortable after taking the lead. But Manchester City’s ability to punish even the smallest lapse proved decisive. One defensive moment and one mistimed challenge turned three points into none.
Arne Slot will take positives from the performance, particularly the control shown in midfield and the creativity of Wirtz and Salah. However, discipline and game management in the final moments will be key talking points.
Final Thoughts
Football can be cruel, and this was a harsh lesson for Liverpool at Anfield. Szoboszlai’s goal deserved to be the winner, but City’s experience and clinical edge made the difference when it mattered most. With the Premier League title race finely balanced, nights like this can define a season. Liverpool must respond quickly, because at this level, there is no room for hesitation.
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YNWA (You’ll Never Walk Alone)!
The Liverpool FC Times Team
LiverpoolFCTimes.com