Manchester City kept their Premier League title challenge alive with a dramatic 2–1 comeback victory over Liverpool, capitalising on a costly late error from Alisson Becker to end the defending champions’ eight-game unbeaten run at Anfield and maintain the pressure on leaders Arsenal.

Anfield has rarely been kind to City in recent years, and with their title hopes already under strain, Pep Guardiola’s side knew there was little margin for error. They nearly made the perfect start when Bernardo Silva slipped Erling Haaland through on goal, only for Alisson to deny the Norwegian before Milos Kerkez scrambled the loose ball clear.

An even bigger opportunity followed when Omar Marmoush found himself clean through, but the forward astonishingly dragged his effort wide, with an offside flag sparing further embarrassment.

City dominated the first half territorially, keeping Liverpool pinned back and limiting the hosts’ attacking threat. Liverpool’s first real effort came courtesy of Mohamed Salah, whose deflected strike off Marc Guéhi drifted narrowly wide.

The home side felt aggrieved heading into the break when Salah appeared to be pulled back by Silva inside the box, but referee Craig Pawson and VAR waved away appeals amid loud protests from the Anfield crowd.

Liverpool emerged with renewed urgency after the interval and should have taken the lead moments after the restart. Salah delivered a pinpoint cross for the unmarked Hugo Ekitike, but the striker somehow headed wide from six yards. Florian Wirtz then squandered another golden opening, seeing his effort brilliantly blocked by Guéhi at the end of a sweeping move.

City’s summer signing, so nearly a Liverpool player himself, remained central to proceedings and escaped further punishment after bringing down Salah just outside the area in a moment that flirted with a red-card review.

With chances missed at both ends, the breakthrough finally arrived in spectacular fashion. Dominik Szoboszlai ignited Anfield in the 74th minute by curling a stunning free-kick from 35 yards off the post and into the net.

City refused to fold and hit back six minutes from time. Haaland won a knockdown inside the area, and Silva reacted quickest to prod home the equaliser and set up a tense finale.

The decisive moment followed in stoppage time when Alisson clattered into Matheus Nunes inside the box. Haaland stepped up and coolly dispatched the penalty to complete a remarkable turnaround.

Late drama followed as Rayan Cherki fired into the net from near halfway, but VAR ruled the goal out for a Haaland foul on Szoboszlai in the build-up, with the Hungarian then shown a red card for pulling the striker back moments earlier.

That chaotic sequence did little to alter the outcome, as City secured just their third win in 39 visits to Anfield, breathing fresh life into the title race and dealing a damaging blow to Liverpool’s momentum.