Pep Guardiola’s Sunday verdict was interested wafter Manchester City and Liverpool played a tight and tense match at Anfield on Sunday that found its entertainment late as City came back to win 2-1 and kept its Premier League title hopes alive.
Guardiola’s team was better in the first half and for the early part of the second frame, but Liverpool claimed the front foot and the lead during the final 45 minutes.
MORE — Liverpool v Man City player ratings | Arne Slot reaction
But Guardiola’s men rallied for an equalizer as substitute Rayan Cherki joined Erling Haaland in setting up a Bernardo Silva equalizer. And then they found a winner when Matheus Nunes’ late industry saw him clattered in the box by Alisson Becker.
Erling Haaland rolled his penalty home and City stayed alive for the title thanks to a massive Gianluigi Donnarumma save and a wild finale that saw a third goal taken off the board and a red card awarded to Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai.
Pep Guardiola reaction — What did Manchester City boss say after tense scrap at Liverpool?
Thoughts on the game? “We won, right? When we won it’s proud. We made an incredible first half. We missed some chances. The second half. They had the momentum and Szoboszlai again made a copy-paste goal like against Arsenal. What a strike. What a player. But in the end, belief from our captain — his character, personality, not give up. We followed it and at the end we came back.”
Ten shots in the first half was incredible: “We played good but we didn’t produce what we should do for the last pass. We have to be a little bit more composed. It’s the quality of our players but defensive we were also brilliant. With Mo, Gakpo, Wirtz between the lines they are not easy to control. The second half we expect that. Bernardo we let in balls. I’m not saying you can win them all but if you lose one, you suffer.”
To slip behind late again was troubling? “When it happens many times you have a problem. We are not consistent enough for 90 minutes but we are a team that tries to grow. Maybe we’re not completely ready, but maybe in a month we will be. Ruben is back. Others are coming back.”
Youngest Man City team you’ve had. How much room to grow is there? “They have a bright future. The club has a bright, bright future. We’ve made really, really good signings. In time when everyone’s settled, the team will be really good here.”
Finally winning at Anfield after 5 years, and first time with crowd? “I prefer to win with an incredible crowd with Liverpool. It’s special. This is an incredibly tough place to come. With Arne it’s difficult. With Jurgen it was difficult. The quality they have, the history — of course this is nice.”
Would nine points have been too big a gap to Arsenal? “In the moment I don’t think nine points is so much but you see Arsenal, how strong they are in all competitions but I have the feeling that there are a lot of games. My thought is always how we can do better in the future but we need this type of victory because despite what happens today, we hae so many games.”
Should the last goal have counted and Szoboszlai been absolved the red card? “Yeah come on referee, give the goal. Of course it’s foul and after it’s foul for Erling but give the goal. Sometimes the common sense, right? Should be easy you know. We won. Everything is fine.”
Erling Haaland reaction
On the match-winning penalty: “I was really nervous right before and all my thoughts were getting the ball in the back of the net, which I couldn’t do at home.”
You look exhausted: “I’m quite tired. You see it in the second half. They managed to play good football but we managed to keep it away. Look at Gigi, the one on Mac Allister is out of this world. It shows why he is the best in the world.”
Did you think the title was gone with a loss? “Let’s be honest, this place is so tough to come to. We started well. What I loved about Bernardo’s goal was he gave a signal to me and all the fans — come on let’s have it. We need to get it straight and start winning games, simple as that.”
On not getting the late goal for 3-1 and Szoboszlai getting sent off:“For me referee has to follow rules but I feel bad because this will give him three games. Just give the goal, don’t give him the red card.”
Bernardo Silva reaction
Why did you grab the ball out of the net so quickly after making it 1-1? “For the distance that we have to Arsenal, obviously coming to Anfield for me is the toughest place by far. A draw is good for most teams but we needed to go for another goal.”
A huge three points, right? “Very happy but these points count as much as any other game. It’s been quite frustrating the beginning of the year because we didn’t do our job properly and we could be quite closer to Arsenal. To get a first win at Anfield in nine seasons apart from the COVID year, you can imagine how hard it is to win here.”
The title race would’ve been over with a loss? “I feel the whole team knew before the game that if we lost, probably the title race is over but we felt like we needed to win the game. It puts us a bit closer. The hope is there. We’re going to fight until the end but six points is six points.”
