Liverpool’s push for a top-five finish suffered a major blow as Manchester City snatched a 2-1 victory with a stoppage-time penalty at Anfield.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning first-half opener was canceled out by Bernardo Silva before Erling Haaland scored a late winner from the spot. The defeat highlighted a familiar issue for Arne Slot’s side, who have now won just six of their last 20 league games.
According to analysis in The Daily Mail, Liverpool’s pattern of “brilliance undone by defensive lapses” was exposed again. The team dominated after halftime but retreated after taking the lead, inviting pressure from the reigning champions.
The loss leaves Liverpool four points behind fifth-placed Chelsea. Their situation is compounded by injuries to defenders Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, and Joe Gomez, while Szoboszlai is suspended for Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland.
Slot must now rally a vulnerable squad through a brutal final run of five matches against top-eight opponents to salvage a Champions League qualification spot.
