In a thrilling encounter at Anfield, Manchester City secured a 2-1 victory over Liverpool, keeping their Premier League title hopes alive. The match was characterized by a plethora of dramatic moments, particularly the controversial use of VAR that led to Liverpool's Dominic Szoboszlai receiving a red card. The game started with Szoboszlai stunning the City defense with a long-range free-kick that put Liverpool ahead early on.

As the match progressed, Manchester City equalized through Bernardo Silva after a tidy setup from Erling Haaland. The defining moment came in stoppage time when Alisson, Liverpool's goalkeeper, fouled Matheus Nunes in the penalty area, handing City a crucial penalty. Haaland successfully converted the penalty, putting City in the lead at 2-1 just before the end of regular time. The chaos did not stop there, as a late counterattack by City nearly led to a third goal, demonstrating both teams' desperate efforts as the clock wound down.

Dominic Szoboszlai's red card, awarded through VAR's intervention, added a further layer of controversy to an already intense match. As Liverpool pushed forward for an equalizer, Szoboszlai's rash challenge saw him dismissed just moments before the final whistle, leaving the match to conclude in uproar and further scrutiny on the VAR’s role within the game's key moments. This game not only affected Liverpool's immediate standing in the league but also fueled discussions surrounding the management of officiating in high-stakes matches.