'The hope is there' - how Man City 'just' kept themselves in title race

A generation of Manchester City supporters had not experienced a winning feeling at Anfield – but all that changed on a highly dramatic Sunday evening.

Trailing 1-0 to Liverpool in the 84th minute, it was turning into a theme familiar for the Citizens faithful until captain Bernardo Silva and the ice-cool Erling Haaland both netted in the dying stages to hand Pep Guardiola’s side a memorable victory.

City supporters were riotous when Rayan Cherki rolled in a third into an empty net from just inside his own half, but the goal was eventually ruled out by the video assistant referee (VAR).

It mattered little as they stayed well after the final whistle to celebrate their side’s triumph – only a third in the league since 1981.

It was also result that keeps City in the title race. Just.

Boss Pep Guardiola joked afterwards about their last victory at Anfield five years ago, which came behind closed doors during Covid restrictions, saying: “That doesn’t count, right?”

But this brilliant turnaround meant City are only six points adrift of leaders Arsenal with 13 games left to play – including a Gunners visit to Etihad Stadium in April – having been staring at a nine-point deficit in the closing stages.

“It is so difficult, Anfield is Anfield – the tradition, the history and the crowd,” added Guardiola. “It always looks smaller, tighter here and the pitch doesn’t look like Etihad Stadium – and the players that they have, and everything.

“Of course we would be disappointed and all the questions would be over and over [about the title race] but six points is better than nine. It is still a lot considering how strong Arsenal are in all departments.

“The last 10 games, from my experience, it is so difficult. The important thing is to try to be there and improve because the second half was not good enough again.

“All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal and being there, try if they go slip [up] and use it.”

‘Will this give them the bit between the teeth?’

The City substitutes piling over to their fans after Cherki’s goal showed how much the victory meant to them – one supporter even got carried away and jumped on to the pitch before being led away by stewards.

It was an incredible conclusion to an engrossing encounter, one that has repeatedly delivered drama in Guardiola’s past tussles with Jurgen Klopp and now Arne Slot.

These two sides have been the only teams to lift the Premier League trophy over the past eight years and, while reigning champions Liverpool have fallen away this term and sit in sixth place, City are clinging on.

“What can this do to Manchester City confidence-wise, going forward?” said former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson on BBC Radio 5 Live. “It’s all about putting runs together at this stage and that is a massive result that can give them a huge confidence boost.

“They might well just – and I mean just – be in this.”

After their 3-0 win at Etihad Stadium earlier in the season, City achieved a league double over Liverpool for the first time since the 1936-37 campaign.

“It’s an important one for City today,” former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport. “It’s a tough place to go, Anfield.

“I thought Liverpool were really good in the second half, City were really good first half – then City have gone a goal down and dug in to get the three points.”

Former United defender Gary Neville added: “Will this give them the bit between the teeth? Will this give them the confidence to go and chase down Arsenal?

“Maybe, just maybe.”

‘One of the legends of this club’

City captain Silva started the game after recovering from a recent hamstring issue and was the catalyst for his side’s comeback by prodding in the equaliser from a Haaland knockdown.

The Portuguese has now played more game against Liverpool (16) than any other City player, while his three goals at Anfield makes him City’s joint-top scorer at the stadium alongside Nicolas Anelka and Ilkay Gundogan.

Haaland, by contrast, scored a first goal at Anfield with his winning penalty in the third minute of added time.

“I feel the whole team knew before the game if we lost it then the title race was probably over,” said Silva. “We felt like we needed to win.

“The hope is there and we are going to fight until the end. We need to keep doing our job that we haven’t lately.”

On Sunday, no player ran more than Silva’s 12.84km, while no City player made more passes in the final third than his 24, nor did they attempt more dribbles than his four.

Earlier this season, Guardiola said he has a “weakness” for the 31-year-old and a player he “loves” very much.

Silva is out of contract in the summer and the City boss added: “He is one of the best players I have every trained with.

“He is the perfect captain. It is a joy for me as a manager to have him. The team comes first.

“His contribution is massive and he is one of the legends of this club.”

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