Haaland's Stoppage-Time Penalty Completes Dramatic Manchester City Comeback Against Liverpool at Anfield

Erling Haaland converted a dramatic stoppage-time penalty to complete Manchester City's stunning comeback from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday, keeping the Premier League title race alive in one of the most chaotic finishes of the season. The victory cut Arsenal's lead at the top to six points while dealing a severe blow to Liverpool's Champions League ambitions as they remained sixth in the table.

Dominik Szoboszlai appeared to have given Liverpool all three points with a spectacular 74th-minute free-kick that dipped and swerved past Gianluigi Donnarumma, crashing in off the post. The Hungarian midfielder's moment of magic sent Anfield into raptures and looked set to secure a vital victory for the home side. However, Manchester City showed their championship pedigree by refusing to accept defeat, pushing forward relentlessly in search of an equalizer.

Bernardo Silva restored parity in the 84th minute, poking home after Haaland had knocked down a Rayan Cherki cross at the back post. The goal set up a frantic finale with both teams desperate for the winner. The drama intensified exponentially in the 93rd minute when chaos erupted following a City attack that led to one of the most controversial sequences of the season.

Rayan Cherki appeared to have scored City's third goal, rolling the ball into an empty net, but after a lengthy VAR review, referee Craig Pawson ruled that Szoboszlai had denied Haaland an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by tugging him back. The goal was disallowed, a free-kick was awarded 30 yards out, and Szoboszlai was shown a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO). Alisson was also judged to have brought down Matheus Nunes, resulting in a penalty.

Haaland stepped up and buried the penalty into the bottom corner with ice in his veins, sending the traveling City supporters into delirium. The Norwegian striker's composure under immense pressure exemplified why he remains one of the world's deadliest finishers. The goal capped an extraordinary turnaround that saw City score twice in the final nine minutes to snatch all three points from what had seemed a certain defeat.

The result represents a significant moment in the title race, with Manchester City demonstrating once again their ability to win games in the most dramatic circumstances. For Liverpool, the defeat compounds their struggles this season and leaves them facing an uphill battle to secure Champions League qualification. Szoboszlai will now serve a suspension that will further complicate Liverpool's fixture congestion. The match will be remembered as one of the Premier League's most dramatic encounters, featuring a stunning goal, a controversial VAR intervention, a red card, and a last-gasp penalty that altered the trajectory of both teams' seasons.