A thrilling comeback featuring Portuguese flair, a stunning goal, late drama, and suspense right to the final whistle at Anfield. Manchester City defeated Liverpool 2-1 this Sunday in a Premier League Matchday 25 clash, preventing Arsenal from extending their lead at the top of the English league.
A game with a scorching finish that started rather tepidly. It took just two minutes for Manchester City, with Bernardo Silva starting and Matheus Nunes also in the lineup—Rúben Dias came on in the second half—to create danger, as Alisson saved a shot from Haaland following a pass from the Portuguese midfielder. The start was intense, with pressing from both sides and the home crowd roaring, but the pace soon dropped, allowing the Sky Blues to control possession in the attacking half. The Reds eventually grew into the game, managing more possession in the final fifteen minutes, but while challenges were plentiful, clear-cut chances were not.
With the score still 0-0, the players headed to the dressing rooms, and Manchester City's advantage suggested the visitors were closer to scoring. What stood out, however, was the hosts' resurgence after the break. They had more possession, were more incisive than their opponents had been in the first half, and repeatedly threatened Donnarumma's goal. Ekitiké had several opportunities but, on an off-night, failed to convert any, even when, in the 56th minute, Salah, with a sublime outside-of-the-boot pass, put the ball right into the Frenchman's path in the box, only for the lone striker to head wide.
Liverpool's problem was no longer getting into the box, but actually scoring. Wirtz tried, Gakpo tried, all without luck. But when you can't score from close range... you try from afar. And that's exactly what Szoboszlai did in the 74th minute. The Liverpool number 8's perfect strike curled around the wall and crashed against Donnarumma's post, leaving the goalkeeper with nothing to do but admire the brilliance of his opponent. Deservedly, Liverpool were ahead.
Bernardo and Matheus back the 'Terminator'
With the lead, Liverpool dropped back. They tried to close ranks and seal the game on the counter-attack. Manchester City, who had only managed two shots in the second half, began to find their rhythm. And they desperately needed to react: if the game ended this way, Arsenal would finish Matchday 25 with a nine-point lead at the top of the league.
In the 84th minute, a ball lofted into the attack was headed by Haaland, leaving it free in the heart of the box. And that's when one of the key protagonists of this late-game drama appeared. Bernardo Silva, who was even a doubt for this match due to injury, leveled the score with a determined shot, his first Premier League goal of the 2025/26 season. The creative Portuguese midfielder thus equalized, putting Manchester City back in the game, though not yet in the title race. But in stoppage time, the Sky Blues' captain turned to another compatriot to help complete the turnaround. With an excellent pass, he found Matheus Nunes, who anticipated Alisson and was brought down by the Brazilian goalkeeper.
Haaland immediately grabbed the ball and, from the penalty spot, did what he had never done in a Manchester City shirt: score at Anfield. The comeback was complete. Liverpool still pressed, and at a moment when Alisson was in the opposing box, Cherki shot from his own half, Szoboszlai and Haaland grappled, and the ball ended up in the net. It didn't count, however: the Norwegian's grappling with his opponent led Craig Pawson to disallow the goal, but since the home player had committed the initial foul, he was shown a red card. A display of Manchester City's resilience, fueled by two moments of brilliance from their Portuguese internationals and the 'Terminator,' who scored in the Premier League for the first time since January 7th.