The Premier League title race took a dramatic twist this weekend, delivering football’s trademark dose of unpredictability and flair. Arsenal, ever purposeful at the summit, had seemingly cemented their lead with a nine-point advantage on Saturday, but their comfort was short-lived. Manchester City, relentless as ever, clawed back the ground with a pulsating 2-1 comeback victory away to Liverpool—an evening at Anfield filled with tension, records, and last-gasp heroics.
City’s chase of the Gunners turned a routine weekend into a nerve-shredding affair, proving once more why the English top flight is utterly compelling.
When quiet turns to chaos: a tale of two halves
The first half in Merseyside shimmered with anticipation but delivered little end product. Erling Haaland, City’s ever-dangerous marksman, found himself thwarted early by Alisson as both sides cautiously probed for weaknesses. Chances were fleeting, with Hugo Ekitike coming closest, yet neither side managed to seize control.
But football at Anfield rarely stays dormant for long. After the break, events escalated spectacularly. Ekitike saw another chance flash narrowly wide—a harbinger of the drama to follow.
Szoboszlai’s stunner, then City’s rally
Liverpool finally broke the deadlock with a moment of real quality. Awarded a free-kick some 25 yards out, Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up. His marvelous swerving effort, spinning beyond the City wall before ricocheting in off the right post, left Gianluigi Donnarumma powerless in the 74th minute. Anfield erupted, and the belief flowed.
City, however, had their own answers. Bernardo Silva was the first to react when Haaland knocked down a cross, sliding home the equalizer ten minutes later to set up a feverish finish.
Haaland the inevitable: a record-breaking night
With the contest now hanging by a thread, stoppage time delivered its familiar heartbreak for the hosts. Matheus Nunes was upended by Alisson inside the box, and Haaland—cold as ice—stepped up. His penalty, drilled into the bottom-left corner at 92:42, became the latest winning goal by a visiting Premier League team at Anfield since at least the 2006–07 season.
For Liverpool, it was another cruel twist:
- The Reds have now conceded four 90th-minute winners in league play this term—a joint Premier League record for a single campaign.
- They also lost at Anfield after scoring the opening goal for the first time since April 2017, ending an extraordinary run of 109 unbeaten games in such scenarios.
Moments like these linger for players and supporters alike, etched into memory for their heartbreak and brilliance in equal measure.
VAR drama and an unprecedented double
The closing stages produced late drama that kept the heart pounding until the final whistle. With Liverpool’s keeper Alisson joining the attack, Rayan Cherki aimed for glory from inside his own half. The ball trickled over the line, but after a lengthy VAR review, celebrations were paused—Haaland was adjudged to have fouled Szoboszlai earlier. The Hungarian’s night went from bad to worse as he saw red for his own foul seconds prior.
This mean-spirited clash ended in statistics as startling as its finish:
- Manchester City achieved a league double over Liverpool for the first time since the 1936–37 season.
- They ended their drought of second-half goals in 2026 league matches, reminding us never to write off the reigning champions.
The unscripted beauty of English football
The Premier League, in all its unpredictability and spectacle, leaves us wrestling with expectations one week and rewriting history the next. Arsenal’s lead is trimmed, City’s fire burns ever hotter, and Liverpool are left to question what might have been.
As the season charges forward, we’re reminded that anything can happen in those dying moments—each match a new chance for heroes and heartbreak. Where will the twists carry us next? The beautiful game, as ever, keeps us guessing.