Arne Slot had warned Liverpool they would have to suffer, but surely not like this.
Pep Guardiola thought it was a brilliant advert for the Premier League. It was, but only if the English top flight was trying to market itself as a jobsworth-riddled sporting madhouse which often defies description.
“I’m really proud we won,” the Catalan reflected after City were dragged towards a first league double over Liverpool since they first won the title almost 90 years ago by their inspirational skipper Bernardo Silva. Guardiola added: “In the end we showed belief, character, personality and didn’t give up. In the end, we came back.
“We played well in the first half but we didn’t produce what we should have. We are not consistent over 90 minutes, but we strive to grow. We have many good things to fight for. We’re six points behind Arsenal – okay it’s a big gap, but many things can happen.
“Bernardo is one of the best players I have ever trained with. He is the perfect captain. It’s a joy for me as a manager to have him. For him, the team comes first. His contribution is massive and he is one of the legends of this club.”
The entertainment and drama value was undoubtedly off the scale. Dominik Szoboszlai looked like being the hero thanks to breaking the deadlock with his latest stunning free-kick long-range 16 minutes from time but in an astonishing twist, the Liverpool midfielder didn’t even last to hear the final whistle after earning one of the more bizarre red cards seen this or any season for that matter.
Even Erling Haaland expressed his sympathy for the Hungarian who was ordered off in stoppage-time as the pair wrestled each other to the ground in pursuit of a Rayan Cherki through ball from halfway which tricked slowly into an unguarded net with players from both sides including Liverpool keeper Alisson in hot pursuit following a corner at the other end.
Joyless VAR officials lumbered in to chalk-off the effort and bring play back for a free-kick to the visitors in addition to showing a red card to ensure a rollercoaster 25 minutes for Szoboszlai who had left Gianluigi Donnarumma rooted to the spot with a now trademark 30-yard set-piece past a questionably under-staffed two-man wall.
It looked like a knockout blow and was no doubt received as well in North London as it was in Anfield, but Silva had other ideas, poking home the equaliser from close range after Haaland nodded down Cherki’s cross six minutes from time.
A draw would still have been welcomed more by Arsenal than City and Donnarumma atoned for his suspect wall-building with a stunning fingertip save to keep out Alexis MacAllister’s stoppage-time blockbuster moments before Alisson’s needless challenge on Matheus Nunes in the area as the ball ran out of play provided another twist.
Haaland duly found the bottom corner past the Brazilian’s despairing right hand to put a lid on the scoring, if not the drama, as the comedic events unfolded around Cherki’s goal that wasn’t a goal and Szoboszlai’s early – if the 103rd minute can be described as that – bath.
It’s one win in seven in the league for Slot’s side, who are in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification after the latest addition to their unfortunate habit of conceding crucial late goals left them five points behind fourth-place Manchester United.
It doesn’t get any easier as they gear-up for a trip to Sunderland, where the inhospitable hosts remain the only unbeaten side at home this season. Liverpool’s Dutch manager added: “A lot has happened, which is normal in this fixture. We’re disappointed to come away without a result. We’re getting almost used to conceding a goal in extra time, it happened again today.
“Can we look at this game positively? Of course. Second half we pressed really high and played good football. You cannot compare this game with three or four months ago, we have improved so much but we need to improve the results. So many times this year we haven’t got what I think we deserve and this is another time.”
Slot rather clutched at straws when he referenced an incident with Mo Salah he was convinced should have been a penalty, adding: “If there is any incident we should talk about, it’s when Salah is one on one with the goalkeeper. Anyone who has been to this stadium in the last seven or eight years knows that is a goal for Salah. Once again, the referee decides not in our favour. They have to do their job.
“Szoboszlai’s red card is not the incident we should talk about. Maybe he should have left it for a goal as it is, but if that’s the rule that’s what we have to accept.”
As the dust settled on a contest which will be poured-over for years to come should City end up pipping Arsenal to the title in May, it was hard not to concur with Guardiola’s rather more succinct take. “Come on referee, give the goal and let’s go home.”
(4-2-3-1): Alisson 6; Szoboszlai 8, Konate 7, van Dijk 7, Kerkez 8; Gravenberch 6, MacAllister 6; Salah 6, Wirtz 6, Gakpo 4 (Jones 85, 6); Ekitike 5. Sent-off: Szoboszlai. Booked: van Dijk, Becker.
(4-3-3): Donnarumma 7; Nunes 7, Khusanov 6 (Dias 61, 7), Guehi 8, Ait-Nouri 8; Bernardo Silva 8, Rodri 8, O’Reilly 8; Semenyo 7 (Ake 90, 6), Haaland 8, Marmoush 5 (Cherki 61, 8). Booked: Guehi, Silva, Marmoush, Haaland.
: Craig Pawson
