ERLING Haaland capped a dramatic come-back in a contest which almost defied description with a stoppage-time penalty to keep Manchester City’s title hopes very much alive.
City’s talisman had missed two of his previous five spot kicks but found the bottom corner low to Alisson’s right after the Liverpool keeper needlessly brought down Matheus Nunes in the area as the game looked to be heading for a draw.
In a chaotic finale, Rayan Cherki had a third goal chalked off as the 100th minute approached.
The substitute’s through ball from halfway rolled slowly into the net as Haaland and Dominik Szoboszlai attempted to wrestle each other out of the way with Alisson still in the City area from a previous corner.
The effort was ruled out and a free-kick instead awarded as Liverpool’s goal scorer was sent off after VAR intervention in a suitably bonkers end to a crazy game.
Pep Guardiola’s side looked to be heading for defeat thanks to the latest addition to Szoboszlai’s collection of stunning free kick goals before the evening turned sour for the Hungarian.
Bernardo Silva nipped in to level six minutes from time before Haaland kept his cool to seal City’s first league double over Liverpool for nearly 90 years and to cut Arsenal’s advantage at the top to six points.
It could be just three by the time the Gunners are next in action against Brentford on Thursday.
Szoboszlai was up to his old tricks with another stunning free-kick that was met with just as much joy in North London as it was at Anfield.
The Reds’ free-kick specialist lit up a breathless contest which inexplicably looked to be heading for stalemate until another moment of set-piece magic.
Gianluigi Donnarumma was left rooted to the spot as the midfielder’s 30-yard free-kick fizzed past him to find the net off the Italian’s left hand post 16 minutes from the end of another Premier League game where City again looked to have wilted after half time until a dramatic late rally.
City surrendered a two-goal lead last time out at Tottenham and again became an increasingly ineffective attacking force until from a Cherki cross, Haaland provided the knockdown for Silva to poke the equaliser through Alisson’s legs from close range.
Alisson then needlessly brought down Nunes who had lost possession of the ball to hand City a lifeline gratefully accepted by Haaland in front of the travelling City faithful.
Given Szoboszlai’s reputation for long-range goals this season, perhaps Donnarumma should have opted for a more well-staffed wall to deal with a free-kick which swerved past the two men stood optimistically hoping to repel the sweetly-struck shot.
The City keeper atoned with a stunning fingertip save to keep out an Alexis MacAllister blockbuster just moments after Haaland was given the invitation to win the game which he duly accepted.
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.
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).
Craig Pawson.
