After a pretty lackluster first half, Manchester City and Liverpool turned in an absolute corker of a second half. Unfortunately for Liverpool supporters, City scored two late goals, including a stoppage-time penalty, to snatch all three points at Anfield. Here are the three biggest takeaways from the match.
1. Szoboszlai is World Class (Red Card Aside)
His screamer from 35 yards was a thing of beauty and reminiscent of the one he turned in vs. Arsenal to start the season. He has also scored on several other set pieces and to do that while playing out of position speaks to his versatility. Some pundits are criticizing him for keeping Bernardo Silva onside for City’s equalizer, but that does not take away from his performance in any way. It’s unfortunate that he will miss this Sunderland match with a red card. Can the Reds still turn without their main cog?
The fact that he scored a 35-yard screamer while playing out of position proves he is Liverpool's most important player. The red card was a moment of madness, but his quality is undeniable.
2. Arne Slot Finally Sheds his "Safe" Persona
One of the biggest criticisms of Arne Slot this season is that he doesn’t take enough risks. Well that theory went out the window in the second half of the match. After defending for much of the first, Liverpool committed more numbers forward in the second and were clearly the better team because of it. He even had Alisson playing forward for several minutes in stoppage time, pushing for an equalizer. That risk did not pay off and resulted in a Szoboszlai red card, but I applaud the choice.
We saw a different Arne Slot today. Pushing Alisson forward and committing numbers in attack was risky, and ultimately it backfired with the counter-attack goal. But fans would rather see Liverpool go down swinging than lose meekly.
3. VAR and the "Letter of the Law" Ruined the Spectacle
Liverpool deserve at least a point from the match based on how well they played. By the letter of the law, the penalty against Alisson and Szoboszlai’s Red Card were probably the correct decision, but they went against the spirit of the game. One commentator claimed that “10 or 15 years ago, that’s no penalty.” Liverpool drop down to 6th in the EPL standings and if they fail to qualify for the Champions League next season, that penalty call will be a big reason why. It will be interesting to hear Slot’s thoughts on the controversial ending.
