Haaland’s Resilience Shines as City Overcomes Liverpool

Erling Haaland endured a rare setback but ultimately redeemed himself as Manchester City earned a crucial victory over Liverpool, narrowing the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to just four points.

The defining early moment came when Jeremy Doku capitalized on a defensive mix-up between Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley, winning a penalty after a tangle with Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. Doku darted through the defense, attempted to round the keeper, and fell after contact with Mamardashvili’s knee — leaving Liverpool’s protests without much substance given their defensive lapse.

However, to the disbelief of many, Haaland failed to convert from the spot. His tame strike lacked power and placement, comfortably saved by the goalkeeper. The Norwegian, who has scored 13 goals in 10 league games this season, has historically struggled to score against Liverpool — and the miss fueled doubts that this could be another frustrating afternoon against Klopp’s side.

Social media quickly erupted. One fan joked on X (formerly Twitter):

“Haaland misses a penalty? Arsenal didn’t score from set pieces yesterday? Is the world ending??” (@boivannie)

Others were more critical.

“Finally, he is human,” wrote @the_rishji, while @Bagwell_jrr added, “Haaland has lost his credibility.”
Another user, @romsmister18, noted: “He’s missed 3 of the last 5. What’s happening to him?”

Even rivals joined in the banter.

“Vote Haaland for Miss Penalty of the Year 2025,” joked @OnlyUnitedx, a Manchester United supporter.

But Haaland didn’t let the moment define him. Just 16 minutes later, the City striker climbed above Konate to meet Matheus Nunes’s curling cross with a looping header into the far corner — his 31st goal in 31 games against Premier League “Big Six” opposition. The strike silenced critics and reignited City’s push toward the top of the table.

City doubled their advantage before halftime. A short corner routine led to a low shot from Nico González, which deflected off Virgil van Dijk’s leg and wrong-footed Mamardashvili, sealing a dominant first-half display.

The win moved Pep Guardiola’s side within touching distance of Arsenal, who dropped points in a shock draw against Sunderland the previous day. With an international break looming, City will look to maintain their form when they return to face Newcastle United at St. James’ Park — while Arsenal prepare for a tense North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur.