Manchester City walked into Anfield under pressure and walked out with three priceless points, silencing the Kop and throwing the Premier League title race wide open.
This was supposed to be Liverpool’s night. A packed Kop, a fired-up home crowd, and a City side that had not won a league game at Anfield with fans present since 2003. For 74 minutes, the script was perfect.
Liverpool struck first. Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up and bent a sumptuous free kick beyond the City wall and past the goalkeeper. Anfield erupted.
City probed but found little joy. Liverpool defended with desperation rather than structure, riding their luck and the noise from the stands. Pep Guardiola paced. Arne Slot gestured. The clock ticked.
Then the game turned.
In the 84th minute, City finally forced the crack they had been chiselling all evening. Rayan Cherki swung in a teasing cross, Erling Haaland rose and headed the ball down into danger, and Bernardo Silva reacted first to smash home the equalizer.
A familiar Liverpool problem resurfaced instantly. Szoboszlai failed to step out with the line, playing Silva onside. Hero turned culprit.
Anfield went quiet. City sensed blood.
Liverpool tried to respond, pushing bodies forward in the closing stages, but control had already slipped from their grasp.
Deep into stoppage time came the moment that will be argued over for months. Matheus Nunes nicked the ball ahead of Alisson, who charged out and clattered into the City midfielder. No hesitation. Penalty.
Up stepped Haaland, a man who had gone strangely quiet by his own ruthless standards in recent weeks. No power. Just pure composure. The Norwegian rolled the ball home, froze the stadium, and finally exorcised City’s Anfield demons.
There was still time for more chaos. Alexis Mac Allister came inches from salvaging a point, but Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a stunning save to preserve City’s lead.
Moments later, City thought they had a third as Haaland burst through again with Alisson stranded high up the pitch, muscling his way past Szoboszlai before teeing up Matheus Nunes, who calmly rolled the ball into the empty net.
Anfield held its breath, but the referee had seen enough. The goal was chalked off, the foul given, and Szoboszlai was shown red for hauling down Haaland with the Norwegian clean through on goal.
When the final whistle blew, history had shifted. Manchester City had beaten Liverpool at Anfield with supporters in the stands for the first time since 2003. Twenty-three years erased in one ruthless late surge.
For City, it is a win that reignites belief. They now sit six points behind Arsenal with momentum restored and the champions very much alive.
For Liverpool, the questions are louder than ever. Stuck on 39 points, flirting with the Europa League places and still leaking goals at decisive moments.
