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City fight back Guardiola’s men end Anfield hoodoo and reel in Arsenal

E RLING HAALAND’S stop page-time penalty earned Manchester City a dramatic 2 1 win at Liverpool yesterday to reduce Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League back to six points. City were heading for defeat at Anfield with six minutes to go before Bernardo Silva cancelled out Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick to spark an incredible finale. Haaland put City in front from the spot before the visitors had another goal ruled out and Szoboszlai was sent off in the same incident after a VAR review. Victory was City’s first away to Liverpool in front of a crowd since 2003 and reapplies some pressure to Arsenal’s quest for a first title in 22 years. “For the distance that we have to Arsenal, coming here it is the toughest place in the Premier League by far,” said Silva. “I feel the whole team knew before the game, if we lost it then the title race was probably over. We felt like we needed to win. “The hope is there and we are going to fight until the end. We need to keep doing our job that we haven’t lately.” Victory is City’s first in front of a crowd away to Liverpool since

six minutes from time. Szoboszlai played Silva onside as he slid in to volley home Haaland’s header for City’s first second-half goal in the Premier League this year. Alisson then wiped out Matheus Nunes to concede a penalty and Haaland kept his cool from the spot to put City in front. Pep Guardiola’s men then needed a stunning save from Gianluigi Donnarumma to tip behind Alexis Mac Allister’s deflected shot. With Alisson remaining forward from the resulting corner, the Liverpool goal was open when Rayan Cherki took aim from the halfway line to roll the ball into an empty net. However, Haaland and Szoboszlai’s grappling as the ball trickled towards the goal saw the strike ruled out with a freekick awarded to City instead, and the Reds player given his ma r c h i n g o r d e r s . – AFP

Mo Salah just outside the box in a decision that infuriated Slot. But it was City who were left fum ing at the award of the freekick which led to the opener when Ryan Gravenberch went down under mini mal contact. Szoboszlai scored the only goal with an outrageous free-kick when Arsenal visited Anfield in August and produced another stunning strike which clipped the inside of the post before finding the net. However, the Hungarian went

visitors again faded in the second period until a late flurry saved their title challenge. “Second half we pressed really high and played good football,” said Liverpool boss Arne Slot. “We have improved so much, but we need to improve the results.” Marc Guehi was relentlessly booed after his proposed move to Liverpool from Crystal Palace broke down on transfer deadline day in September. City took advantage to swoop in last month when they lost two key centrebacks to injury.

showed the flaws which have opened the door for Arsenal to potentially end their long wait to be crowned champi ons of England once again. Haaland has scored just once from open play in his last 13 games and an uncharacteristic lack of confidence from the Norwegian showed with the best chance of the first half inside the opening two minutes. Silva’s clever pass split the Liverpool defence, but Haaland’s shot lacked conviction under pressure from Milos Kerkez, and Alisson Becker was able to save low to his left. Second half slumps have

Guehi was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card when he dragged down

from hero to villain when City lev e l l ed

been a constant feature of City’s season and the

2003 as they com pleted a league double over the Reds for the first time since 1937. “Very happy, but these points count as much as any in any other game,” added Silva. “It has been frustrating the beginning of the year because we have not done our job properly. We could be closer to Arsenal.” Defeat delivered another blow to Liverpool’s hopes of Champions League foot ball next season. The defending cham pions remain down in sixth and four points adrift of the top five. These two clubs

have combined to win the last eight Premier League titles, but both

City’s Erling Haaland (4th from right) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning goal during the English Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield yesterday. – AFPPIC

Pep’s reaction to Szoboszlai’s bizarre red card

Ű BY RICHARD JOLLY

who for eight years has been scoring that ball 100 times out of 100 – a bit of an exaggeration – and it is not a red card, then there is more of my frustra tion. “I can live with the red card for Dom. If you like football you say ‘ah, leave it as a goal, it’s good them and good for eve ryone’ but as the Sunderland manager you prefer to see it as a red card. That’s the rule and following the rules is all I ask.” – The Independent

Mohamed Salah at 0-0. He explained: “I can live with the fact, although I don’t like it, that the referee follows the rulebook and Dominik makes a foul on Haaland in that situation which is a clear shirt-pull and he was through on goal so he would have scored. That’s a red card. “I think the Sunderland manager is really happy he gives a red card. If you follow the rulebook, and you have a clear shirt-pull by Guehi on Mo Salah,

ree, give (the) goal and go home. It’s common sense. I know he pulls him, but how many pulls there are in a game that referees play on, play on, play on?” And Haaland, a former teammate of Szoboszlai at Red Bull Salzburg, said: “Just give the goal, don’t give a red card, simple as that.” Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said he accepted the decision but was more annoyed that City defender Marc Guehi only shown a red card for tugging

into the goal. Referee Craig Pawson initially gave the goal but was told by VAR to look at the incident on the monitor and came back and awarded a freekick and dis missed Szoboszlai. It meant City, who thought they had gone 3-1 up, only won 2-1 and Szoboszlai will be suspended for Liverpool’s match away at Sunderland on Thursday. And Guardiola said: “Come on refe

MANCHESTER CITY manager Pep Guardiola and match-winner Erling Haaland said they did not want to see Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai sent off in their 2-1 victory at Anfield. Guardiola called for “common sense” after Liverpool goalscorer Szoboszlai was dismissed in the 103rd minute for denying City a goalscoring opportunity – even as the ball went

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