City’s Late Heroics at Anfield: A Clash of Emotions and Decisions

omidbasir- The post-match atmosphere at Anfield was as charged as the action on the pitch, following Manchester City’s remarkable comeback to defeat the reigning champions, Liverpool.

However, the true drama unfolded in the tunnels when Sky Sports attempted to interview a visibly frustrated Arne Slot. The sound of loud music emanated from the away dressing room, overshadowing Slot’s analysis of a match that had eluded his side in the final ten minutes.

Sky presenter Dave Jones humorously remarked that it sounded as if Slot were being interviewed “in the cloakroom of a nightclub.” This light-heartedness was not shared by Roy Keane, who, while back in the studio, expressed strong opinions about the situation. When asked how he would have reacted during his playing days, the Irishman did not hold back. “I’d be interested to see if the music is on when Pep’s doing his talk,” Keane asserted. “Manchester City is entitled to enjoy themselves, but respect must also be shown. Turn the bloody music down when people are doing press interviews. It’s ridiculous.”

Amidst the musical backdrop, Slot voiced his frustrations regarding the officiating of referee Craig Pawson. He was particularly incensed by a first-half incident involving Marc Guehi and Mohamed Salah, where Salah appeared to be through on goal, and Guehi was accused of a shirt-pull that Slot believed warranted a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

The officials, however, deemed that a covering defender was in position, a decision that Slot approached with heavy sarcasm. “If I had to talk about one moment, it would be when Salah was through and Guehi had his shirt,” Slot told Sky Sports. “Out of a hundred people, we could find 20 from the PGMOL who would say it wasn’t a red card.” This pivotal decision allowed Guehi to remain on the pitch and assist City in navigating a second half where Liverpool had initially dominated, prompted by a stunning 30-yard free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai.

For 80 minutes, it seemed City’s title aspirations were fading as Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva struggled to find their footing. Co-commentator Gary Neville began to question their influence on the match. Yet, in a testament to City’s resilience and character, as noted by Keane, the champions managed to score twice in a dramatic finale, effectively silencing the home crowd.

The equalizer arrived in the 84th minute, with Haaland’s knockdown enabling Silva to net from close range. The momentum shifted dramatically, and in the 93rd minute, Liverpool’s Alisson was adjudged to have fouled Matheus Nunes in the penalty area. Demonstrating exceptional composure, Haaland stepped up to convert the penalty, securing City’s first victory at Anfield since 2003. The goal sent the traveling supporters into ecstasy and set the stage for a post-match celebration that later drew Keane’s criticism.

The intensity reached a peak during the final moments of the ten-minute stoppage time. With Alisson pushed forward for a desperate corner, City countered through Rayan Cherki, who rolled the ball into an empty net from halfway. However, this sensational goal was disallowed after a lengthy VAR review, which revealed a double foul in the buildup: Szoboszlai had tugged Haaland’s shirt to halt a breakaway, and Haaland retaliated by pulling Szoboszlai’s shirt as they pursued Cherki’s strike.

Ultimately, Szoboszlai was sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, while the goal was annulled due to Haaland’s foul being classified as “careless,” which obstructed a potential goal-line clearance. The final decisions left both managers perplexed, but it mattered little as City secured a crucial result that reduced Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table to six points. As Roy Keane concluded, it was a “huge result” for City, even if their choice of celebratory music left a bitter taste at Anfield.