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00:08Welcome to Match of the Dead.
00:48Welcome to Match of the Dead.
01:00Manchester City were looking to complete the league double over Liverpool for the first time since 1937.
01:06Pep Guardiola's side began the day nine behind league leaders.
01:10Arsenal, Gamowbray was at Anfield.
01:14No City double in 89 years.
01:17Only three wins here in the last 70.
01:20More than one team in red will be hoping for a continuation of the theme today.
01:26Liverpool need a win purely for their own ends.
01:29To keep pace with the race for a top four finish.
01:31And they'll try to achieve it with the same side that started last weekend against Newcastle.
01:37And that means Dominic Saboslay will again play it right back.
01:40For Manchester City, five changes from their own win against Newcastle on Wednesday in the League Cup.
01:45But only one from last Sunday at Spurs.
01:48With Omar Mahmouche starting rather than Ryan Cherky.
01:52Bernardo Silva was at doubt through injury.
01:54But has been assessed as fit to play.
01:58We're heading into the final third of the season.
02:02Heading towards that time where any slip-up could be costly.
02:07Whatever sort of dreams you're chasing for the rest of the campaign.
02:13Bernardo Silva through towards Haaland.
02:16Alisson spilled it but crucially got out to block any Haaland effort towards his goal.
02:23And Semenyo is left scrabbling around on the ground as the ball is bundled out for a throw.
02:28Full throttle football from the start.
02:31But did we expect anything else?
02:41Mateus Nunes.
02:42Good movement there from Mahmouche.
02:44Mahmouche down with Canate's weight on top of him.
02:49That'll be looked at.
02:50I don't think anything will happen as a result of it.
02:53Nobody's really joining in with the claims of Mahmouche.
02:56Then I think that's just kind of a normal bit of holding all round by the two.
03:02Plenty for them to watch.
03:04Thomas Tuchel needs no introduction.
03:06Nor does Ronald Koeman sitting in front of him.
03:09The head coach of the Netherlands.
03:12Rodri.
03:15Haaland's after this.
03:16And Haaland shoots!
03:18Malisson saves.
03:19And gathers again.
03:22Just looked a hopeful one from Rodri.
03:24But it's always a bit more than that when Haaland is around in the box.
03:35Gravenberg is pushed to the floor.
03:38Just got in front of Mahmouche.
03:39And a yellow card is brandished.
03:42It's Mahmouche who was just that bit too close.
03:48It remains a promising attack for Liverpool with this Subaslai free kick.
03:53Up goes Van Dijk.
03:55Salah stretching.
03:56Was he pulled back?
03:57Well, Liverpool think so.
03:59Craig Quarton couldn't really have seen through the crowd.
04:02But VAR will give him another pair of eyes.
04:05But in fact, it's all been looked at and cleared.
04:08So I guess that's one soft one each not given.
04:17Semenyo.
04:18Mahmouche.
04:19Oh, he might get there, you know.
04:21Alisson hasn't dealt with it properly.
04:24Subaslai makes sure that he does.
04:27Well, thank goodness for that 15-minute half-time break.
04:29Because the second half has started along similar lines to the first.
04:34Non-stop.
04:35Touch of fortune there for Liverpool's goalkeeper.
04:43Ait Nuri seen off by Salah.
04:47Wirtz just behind him.
04:49Takes it away from Rodri though.
04:51Gakpo to Ekotika.
04:53And it's wide.
04:56I think that's the first chance he's had today.
04:58First proper one.
05:00Feels like a bit of a sea change in the way that the game's been played.
05:05Liverpool now the team that looked to be just slightly on top.
05:10Liverpool just so much brighter now.
05:20O'Reilly.
05:24Ait Nuri emerges with the ball.
05:27Mahmouche.
05:28Touch back to Semenyo.
05:30Well held, Alisson.
05:33Who's in a hurry to launch that one.
05:35Mateus Nunez had a force to Salah.
05:38Ekotika's got Wirtz to his right.
05:40Salah to his left.
05:41What a choice.
05:43Salah.
05:44Ekotika.
05:45And he's missed it.
05:49What a sequence of football.
05:53End to end to end.
05:57All from Alisson's big ball forward.
06:02A little bit of momentum lost with that pass.
06:05It was just behind Salah.
06:07Salah recovered.
06:08It's a pitch of a cross for Ekotika.
06:11Unable to find his finishing form though.
06:15There's been a volume rise.
06:21Gravenberg.
06:23Gakpo.
06:27Gakpo into Ekotika.
06:28Back to Wirtz.
06:30And Gehi makes the block in front of Donnarumma.
06:34Well the first half was entertaining.
06:36The second half's off the scale.
06:39Starting to think there should be a new Premier League rule.
06:42Just let these two have a go at each other every week.
06:47And that is of course with all due deference to Arsenal
06:49who are the best team in the country right now.
06:52They wouldn't mind if these two played each other every week.
06:55They just keep on winning everywhere else.
06:59It's a boss line.
07:03That's away from O'Reilly.
07:05Lovely ball through.
07:06Salah goes down.
07:08Was he held by Gehi?
07:10Free kick given outside the box.
07:15Yellow card is out for the City defender.
07:18VAR will now look at this again to see if this was denial of a goal scoring opportunity.
07:26And the idea is from VAR there is a covering defender moving at pace.
07:31That defender being Ruben Diaz.
07:33Who may well have been able to intercept Salah's path through the goal.
07:37Well I think that all makes sense.
07:39Liverpool fans will of course disagree.
07:44It's going to be left to Salah.
07:46And he might be thinking about having a go and squeezing this in past Donnarumma somehow.
07:51He does.
07:54But that wasn't squeezed.
07:56No finesse about that one.
08:02Connected by Gakpo.
08:07Got a lucky break.
08:08Back off Schirke.
08:10McAllister.
08:12Gravenberg.
08:14It's not flowing for Liverpool.
08:17Salah.
08:17Out comes Donnarumma.
08:20And now Schirke.
08:21Who loses it to Gravenberg.
08:24Gravenberg then foul.
08:26Free kick with a full.
08:27Again.
08:35So Bosley has predatory eyes.
08:40Here it comes.
08:42Oh he's done it again.
08:44And simply superb from Sir Bosley.
08:49He's beaten the goalkeeper who many say is the best in the world.
08:54From a mile out.
08:56Look at it from every angle.
09:00Liverpool fans will look at it all night long.
09:03Never mind the view.
09:05Feel the breeze as it goes by.
09:08There aren't many Liverpool free kicks that fly into goals that will be cheered by Arsenal fans.
09:14The one Sir Bosley scored earlier this season certainly wasn't.
09:19Haaland's on the move now.
09:21Van Dijk heads out.
09:27City are stalking but Liverpool are holding more than firm.
09:32Haaland helps it on.
09:34And it's in from Bernardo Silva.
09:37They're not holding firm anymore.
09:40And I'm pretty sure that Liverpool's goalscorer Dominic Sir Bosley was the one who played Bernardo onside.
09:48Haaland helped it on.
09:50Well-time movement from Bernardo Silva.
09:54And it's all square at Anfield.
09:56And a really intuitive assist for Haaland.
09:59There might have been minimal chances for Manchester City's number nine to score his first goal here.
10:05But he's made Bernardo Silva's fourth.
10:09Next goal wins.
10:12We're into at least seven minutes more.
10:14Drama still to come.
10:19Here's Mateus Nunes.
10:21And he got there before Alisson.
10:23I think the ball's already going out, is it?
10:25City want a penalty.
10:27And Craig Pawson's given it.
10:30Mateus Nunes got the vital touch before Alisson.
10:33Who was committed to trying to get to the ball.
10:37And as a result bundles into the City player.
10:40The ball's on its way out.
10:42Does that matter?
10:44Mateus Nunes was fouled.
10:46And City have the chance to win it.
10:50Mind games or just a friendly neighbourly chat?
10:56Erling Haaland has scored his last three penalties.
11:01Huge moment this.
11:03For Liverpool.
11:05For Haaland.
11:07For City.
11:07For Arsenal.
11:08For the Premier League title race.
11:11The eyes of the world right now are on Erling Haaland.
11:16Haaland scores!
11:19City on course.
11:20For that elusive double over Liverpool.
11:24What a dramatic.
11:27Tumultuous turnaround.
11:29Talk about a pressure penalty.
11:32So coolly placed into the corner.
11:35What a time for him to score his first goal.
11:38On this pitch for Manchester City.
11:42The roar of the Viking.
11:52Rodri.
11:53Taken on by Eint Nuri.
11:55Haaland is to the right.
11:57Choke is there as well.
12:00Eint Nuri goes for it.
12:02Alisson keeps it out.
12:04Pep Guardiola has put his head in his hands.
12:08Up goes Van Dijk.
12:11It's a good try.
12:12Brilliantly saved.
12:15What a stop from Donnarumma.
12:19McAllister's effort.
12:21Was going in and Donnarumma may just have preserved two huge points.
12:30Donnarumma to be active again by pawing that one clear.
12:34Still the game goes on.
12:36It's Salah.
12:38Alisson's still up there.
12:41Eint Nuri.
12:42Chiesa away with it.
12:45Salah.
12:47Alisson's still in the mix as Akitike finds Salah again.
12:52All fall down in the middle.
12:53And now Eint Nuri will hack it away.
13:01Erling Haaland has just gone to Craig Pawson and said how long left.
13:06There is an ongoing check right now for a possible Liverpool penalty.
13:13Alisson tries to win another one.
13:16Here's Cherky.
13:18Cherky's gone for it.
13:19Haaland's going to go for it.
13:21And win the race with Saboslai.
13:22No.
13:23Saboslai pulls him back.
13:25And the ball rolls into the net anyway.
13:28And City have won it for sure.
13:32Have you ever seen a more chaotic ending to any game of football anywhere?
13:40That save from Gigi Donnarumma is one of the moments of the season.
13:46And it's Ryan Cherky who has scored the most bizarre goal he will ever, ever score.
13:54But you know what, I don't think it's going to stand.
13:59Craig Pawson has been asked to go and have a look at this.
14:02Told you it was chaotic.
14:05Saboslai grabbed Haaland.
14:07That would have been a red card.
14:09Haaland then grabbed Saboslai.
14:11That would have been a foul.
14:13And the ball rose in off Cherky.
14:15That should have been a goal.
14:17I'll leave it to Craig Pawson to try and explain that little lot.
14:20After resume, there is a careless foul at early Carlingham for sure to Dominic Saboslai.
14:27Prior to that, Saboslai commits a holding offence that denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
14:36The final decision is a direct free kick to Manchester City and a red card.
14:45The VAR John Brooks, well his reasoning for that was,
14:49we can't allow the advantage because Haaland's pull on Saboslai then stopped him from clearing the ball.
14:57By a point of law, all added up, it all makes sense to being correct.
15:02By a point of common sense from what we've seen, none of it makes sense at all.
15:09Oh, goodness me.
15:13And Cherky hammers it over.
15:16And guess what?
15:17As soon as Alisson clears this, it'll be full-time.
15:25All over at Anfield.
15:28Liverpool 1.
15:29Manchester City 2.
15:32The title might still be on for Pep Guardiola's men.
15:38Have you ever, ever seen anything even close to that at the end of a match?
15:43No, but you know, I don't know.
15:46So, Voslai is the first who pull it and after Erling pull it because of course doing that.
15:51Come on referee, give goal and go home.
15:53So it should have been better.
15:55Honestly, first of all, Cherky just passed me the ball and I score.
16:00Second of all, he pulls me, red cards, and I pull him.
16:05So it's a goal.
16:07You know, for me, just give the goal and no red card, but he needs to follow the rules.
16:10And of course you now lose, potentially, Dominic Zboslai.
16:13Yeah, but that's not the incident we should talk about.
16:17For me, he could have left the goal as it is, but yeah, if the rule is that he has
16:20to give
16:21red card, then that's what we have to accept.
16:23If there's any incident we should talk about, it should be the one that Mo Salah is one-on-one
16:28to the goalkeeper.
16:29And anyone who's ever been to this stadium in the past seven or eight years knows that
16:34that is, for Mo Salah, a goal.
16:38But yeah, not for the first time this season.
16:41The referees decided not in our favour.
16:43And they don't have to decide in our favour, by the way.
16:46They just have to do their job.
16:49But all the 50-50s, you already know the answer if you're the Liverpool manager.
16:55Well, it was a compelling game with one of the most ridiculous spells of 25 minutes of
17:01football at the end that I think any of us have ever seen.
17:05And we will go through all of those incidents on there chronologically in just a moment.
17:12But we'll start with what Arna Slott thought should have been a red card for Mark Gay.
17:17Because if you've been to Anfield over the last seven or eight years, Mo Salah always scores
17:22from there. But you don't think it's a clear goal-scoring opportunity?
17:26No, I don't think it's a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
17:28And I think for two reasons, really.
17:30I think it's a really good piece of play from Sobislay.
17:34And then it's a really good pass.
17:36But then Mo Salah gets the wrong side of Gaye.
17:39Gaye pulls him back.
17:40So it's a clear foul.
17:41So we know that.
17:41It's a clear foul.
17:43But then from here, you look at Diaz's position and Donnarumma.
17:46Can Donnarumma get out to his feet?
17:47But Diaz is covering the goal.
17:50So I don't think it's a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
17:52So yellow is right for you?
17:53I think it's a yellow kind of goal.
17:53Yellow right for you?
17:54I'm comfortable with a yellow.
17:55Right.
17:57Donnarumma, hugely involved in this next 25 minutes.
18:00The first one, just by watching the Sobislay free kick whistle past him.
18:05Yeah.
18:05Oh my goodness me, what a special free kick it is as well.
18:08There's not much you can do in those situations.
18:10You know, he sets up his ball.
18:12He comes through all the circumstances.
18:14And I think what highlights how good this free kick is is Virgil van Dijk,
18:17one of the best players to ever play the game in this position.
18:19Look at his reaction.
18:20He hasn't seen anything like that.
18:22Champions League winner, Premier League winner, and he is absolutely blown away.
18:26But let's break it down why it is so good.
18:28So I'm looking at Donnarumma here and I'm thinking a two-man wall?
18:31Okay, 32 yards out, he's backing himself.
18:34He's saying, in his opinion, there's three danger zones, but two of them more important.
18:39Sobislay can whip it over O'Reilly's shoulder into that top corner.
18:44Second option, Liverpool have got that two-man kind of ghost wall.
18:48He uses them and smashes it in that top corner like he did against David Rea.
18:53Third option, I think Donnarumma said to Sobislay, if you can do this, go for it, mate.
18:57Here's your stage.
18:59It's set it just inside the wall and let it fade.
19:02And Dominic Sobislay's gone, I'll have a bit of that.
19:05And he steps up.
19:06This is absolutely outrageous.
19:09What a strike.
19:10Look at the reactions.
19:11Now, Donnarumma, this is his viewpoint.
19:13So 32 yards out, as I say.
19:15Waza, you'll tell me that you shouldn't be getting beat from there.
19:17But as he strikes it, he's got such technique.
19:21He strikes it, we move it on.
19:23Now that 32-yard free kick now is probably just inside the box.
19:26Maybe it's 16 yards out.
19:28Watch the dip and swerve.
19:29So Donnarumma can't commit yet because he doesn't know where it's going.
19:32And if we roll it on now, wow, that absolutely arrows into the corner.
19:36This is an absolute work of art.
19:39This is one of the most pure strikes I've seen.
19:40It's almost the inside Roberto Carlos.
19:42Incredible.
19:43Should he have dived?
19:44I'm joking.
19:45I'm joking.
19:46I'll tell you why he doesn't dive later.
19:48Yeah, you can do that later.
19:50How hard is it to strike a ball like that?
19:53It's very difficult.
19:55I've taken free kicks from that distance.
19:58I don't think I was brave enough to try that.
20:00I'd go round the wall.
20:01The first option, what Joe just mentioned, I'd go round the wall and try and reverse it.
20:05Because you're hearing that with your instep or your...
20:06Yeah, in the other far corner.
20:09But to do it with that technique is so difficult.
20:11It's an incredible, incredible free kick.
20:13Well, I know you wouldn't want to tell Donnarumma what to do.
20:16But would you, out of interest, would you have had more players in the wall?
20:19I would have.
20:20I think I would have had more in the wall.
20:22But I think he would have still...
20:24You know, he's that good that he adjusted to what was in front of him.
20:27When he saw the two-man wall, he thought, you know what, I can hit that on the inside and
20:30let it fade.
20:31But if you put a three or four...
20:32Like I say, I referenced the goal against Raya earlier in the season.
20:35There was a decent enough wall there and he just went over them and wobbled it in.
20:38He is a real wizard, him.
20:39OK, on to the next two things, which both involve Erling Haaland.
20:43And before you get to the goal he scored and the assist, his overall performance?
20:49Yeah, I thought it was a bit of a strange performance.
20:51A performance I haven't really seen from Erling Haaland this afternoon.
20:55Because normally from Ireland you're looking at power, you're looking at pace and ruthless in front of goal.
21:00And today he was a little bit deeper at times and tried to be the player who created chances for
21:06Man City.
21:06But this first opportunity here, you see he's in a really good position.
21:09This is what we have seen from Ireland in recent years, London behind.
21:14But the finish, it didn't look clinical, it didn't look like he knew he was going to score on the
21:19first one.
21:20On this one here, a little bit deeper, now he's playing a lovely through ball.
21:24So that's something we haven't really seen in Ireland's game.
21:27And again here, normally Erling Haaland would be sprinting to that back post.
21:32But instead, what he does now, he curves his run, he stays outside the penalty area.
21:37And then now he's too late.
21:38He still gets a shot off, but if he goes earlier, he gets a better chance.
21:42And this one here, he's in the middle of the goal, edge of the box.
21:45Bernardo Silva gets the ball.
21:46And now Erling Haaland should be running right off the back of Van Dijk.
21:51Normally he'd be around the penalty spot now.
21:52And if he's done that, Bernardo Silva plays it in, he gets a tap in.
21:56But again, he's late, so he doesn't get the opportunity.
21:59And then the move fizzles out.
22:03And now this is brilliant.
22:04This is Erling Haaland.
22:05He's pulled to the back post, he's wanting to get a header.
22:07He re-adjusted his body for the deflection.
22:10And some lovely cushioned header to Bernardo Silva to make the game 1-1.
22:14And now here, obviously, Sombaslay.
22:16McAllister trying to put him off.
22:18A real high-pressure penalty, this, because this is to keep him in the title race, really.
22:23His first goal, Anfield, for Manchester City.
22:25And you can see that relief in his face to score the goal so late to win the game for
22:31Man City.
22:32And I think the confidence that will give him now will be scary for Arsenal in the next few weeks.
22:37When you look at some of that performance then, you mentioned confidence in the coming weeks.
22:43Do you think that is down to confidence?
22:45Or is it down to playing in a slightly different way, whether it be Mahmoud, Semenyo, other people up there
22:51with him rather than him being on his own?
22:53Is it a bit of both?
22:54I'd say more confidence because, listen, I don't think anyone's, you know, taken his position in that team.
23:01He's that good, the amount of goals he's scored.
23:02So I think confidence does it, yeah.
23:04But no matter what level of play you're at, if you're not scoring week in, week out, it does get
23:08to you.
23:08And I think maybe that was getting to him a little bit.
23:10But that goal will raise that confidence levels again.
23:13Does scoring Anfield give you confidence?
23:15All the time.
23:17It's the best feeling.
23:19What happened when you scored Anfield?
23:21No, there was once where the guy threw the phone, he whistled past me, but the police got him because
23:26he got all his details off his phone.
23:30But you celebrated in front of the court for that one, yeah?
23:32Yeah, of course.
23:33All right, back to Donnarumma then, and this is him diving and a wonder save.
23:38He was saving his dive for this moment.
23:40Don't waste your dives.
23:41That's obviously when he's not getting there.
23:43But look, this is just, what, 99th minute of Justin Harland's celebration.
23:47City have gone 2-1 up.
23:48First time they're going to do it in 70 years.
23:51And that moment, oh my goodness me.
23:53Now look, a lot goes into this save.
23:55If you're a goalkeeper, you've got to understand that people go, you just stand there and you make saves, right?
24:00No, absolutely not.
24:01This is his thought process here.
24:04So as Graven Birch is about to flip this ball into the Man City area, Liverpool are throwing everything they've
24:09got at them.
24:09Can I affect it?
24:10No.
24:11Immediately he realises he can't, starts to readjust.
24:13Right, if Virgil van Dijk gets that flick on, I've got to stay high.
24:17Can I affect it?
24:18If he flicks it on, maybe I can come and pick it up for my team.
24:21As we roll it on, it doesn't roll.
24:23It doesn't play out like that.
24:24Now readjust.
24:25McAllister, he is setting himself up for a shot here.
24:28Right, OK.
24:28I've got to get myself in the best possible position.
24:31So as we roll it on, Donnarumma has to readjust and get himself set.
24:35There, he's set.
24:36He's in the best possible position he can be.
24:38He's readjusted four or five times in that short space of time to be ready.
24:42And as that leaves his foot, that's straight down his throat.
24:45Doesn't turn out to be that way.
24:47Gets the deflection off Ruben Diaz.
24:48Now all the hard work that he's put in, all the movement, has culminated in this exact moment here.
24:54Got himself in the best possible position.
24:56And as we roll it on, it flicks off Diaz's back.
24:59This is when every bit of training comes in.
25:01Slight readjustment.
25:03Can I burst and power off that right leg?
25:05Every single fibre that in his body is saving that ball.
25:08The pace is off it.
25:09He has to hook it out.
25:11It's absolutely incredible.
25:12Life of a goalkeeper.
25:14Scored the goal.
25:14Can't take your top off.
25:15Oh no, there's a corner coming.
25:17And you can stay out of our business.
25:22I mean, it is.
25:24It's just a brilliant save.
25:26Isn't it?
25:26I mean, it is.
25:27So Harlan to have that moment.
25:28You don't really get that as a goalkeeper.
25:30You just don't.
25:31You saw Erling Harlan score.
25:32Top off.
25:33Away fans.
25:33Mobile phones whizzing past his head.
25:36No, you don't get that moment as a goalkeeper.
25:37But he got that moment today.
25:38It's a team game.
25:39So the keepers can get involved when he's scored.
25:41They can go and celebrate with the...
25:42No.
25:43But if Man City get themselves back into the title race, those are the moments.
25:49Those are the big moments.
25:50And he's a big moment goalkeeper.
25:51And that was a top save.
25:52And then to the final.
25:54The final thing.
25:56And it feels like only in football in 2026 could someone be sent off for denying a goal scoring opportunity
26:03when the ball ends up in the back of the net.
26:05Doesn't it?
26:07It's crazy.
26:08I think it's obviously...
26:10They followed the letter of the law.
26:12They can't do anything about that.
26:14Look, the first foul is Sir Bosley on Harlan.
26:17And that pulls him back.
26:19That denies him getting to the ball.
26:22And then, therefore, that's how they have to pull it back.
26:24Because Harlan then fouls Sir Bosley.
26:26So they have to pull it back for the original foul.
26:29And that's why they give the red card.
26:32Yeah, no.
26:33I think Pep Guardi also has to give a little bit of common sense.
26:35And give the goal.
26:36The game's over.
26:37It's done.
26:38Everyone goes home.
26:40But as someone who has lost the league on goal difference.
26:45He's happy about that.
26:46He's smiling right there.
26:48Goal difference can make a huge impact on the league.
26:52And the right decision is made.
26:54But a little bit of content would have been nice.
26:57If I was then going to flip it on that.
26:58On the goal difference point.
27:00Sunderland then might say who play Liverpool next.
27:02Well, if they haven't followed the letter of the law, Sir Bosley will be available for that game.
27:05But they followed the letter of the law and now he's suspended for the game at Sunderland.
27:09Yeah, it was an awkward way to finish.
27:11An absolute barnstorm of a game.
27:13But you agree with it, don't you?
27:14I do.
27:15Rules are rules.
27:16And that's why they've brought VAR in.
27:19And that takes all the conversation out of it.
27:21And when does common sense ever prevail in this game?
27:24All right.
27:24But does it still feel that that's not footballer?
27:27It is now though, isn't it?
27:28Oh, no, Joe.
27:30Yes, I'm with you, Chappers.
27:32I think, you know.
27:32Don't fight it, guys.
27:33You've got to roll with the time.
27:34So let's go back to Norvier and enjoy it.
27:38Who'd have thought Joe Hart would be the voice of the establishment?
27:42That kind of result in that kind of atmosphere, and you've both been on either ends of either chasing or
27:50being chased.
27:53Do you think that can make a difference going forward now, if Arsenal had been watching that and for what
27:59it might do for City?
28:00I'm not 100% sure Manchester City believed.
28:04I think they want to.
28:05I think they want to be in the title race, but they weren't sure if they had the credentials.
28:09I look at that start in XI, and not a lot of them have actually won the Premier League.
28:12They're all top players, and they might have won various trophies throughout their career, but they haven't won that Premier
28:18League.
28:19I think that Manchester City surge that we talked about maybe four years ago that was coming did feel inevitable.
28:25You know, the Man United teams, it felt like it was inevitable.
28:28All these guys were serial trophy winners, Premier League winners, and that Manchester City result there will just give them
28:33that belief, I think, that they are in this title race.
28:36Yeah, absolutely.
28:37I think when you win Anfield as well, it's such a tough place to go and win games of football.
28:42And for City to go there and potentially be nine points, you know, Liverpool go 1-0 up, the nine
28:48points off Arsenal, it's going to be very difficult for them to win the league.
28:51But to get that win, now the momentum they can build off this, the confidence, the belief that will give
28:55them is huge.
28:56But we've talked about this before, haven't we?
28:58That from an Arsenal point of view, you can't sort of go up and down from what the people chasing
29:06you are doing if you have that lead.
29:08Yeah, no, I think you've just got to try and obviously, I know it's cliche, but, you know, concentrate on
29:12your own results.
29:13But having been there, it's very difficult to do that.
29:15You know, the Arsenal players will be sat at home probably watching that game.
29:18I mean, at one point they're thinking, you know, we're nine points clear, this is going to be a great
29:23day for us.
29:24And then to have that deflation of being six points clear at the end of the game, you can waste,
29:29you know, energy watching them.
29:30It seems churlish to ask this about City after they've come back and won that 2-1.
29:34But for a lot of that second half where you're sitting watching it going, they're dropping off again in the
29:39second half.
29:39They've had a great first half and they're dropping off again in the second half.
29:42Would that still be a concern for you?
29:44It's a massive concern. And like I say, I wasn't quite sure that this team did believe that they were
29:49ready to rumble and they could go to Anfield and win and put the pressure on.
29:53I'd like to think that what they've just done there in the last 20 minutes or whatever it was will
29:57be a massive arrow for them to point at and go, this is what it takes.
30:01You cannot have any time off. They were phenomenal in the first half. We weren't able to cover it.
30:05They were all over. And then Liverpool, whether they turned it up a notch or whether City came off it,
30:10they could have been out of the title race today.
30:11But they've got through it with some incredible moments.
30:14And then this is kind of equally chillish because Liverpool were brilliant in that second half and yet they've conceded
30:18another injury time goal to lose.
30:20That's four they've conceded after 90 minutes this season.
30:24Yeah, I thought Liverpool were excellent second half and didn't really deserve to lose the game.
30:28But I think you've got to give a lot of credit to Donnarumma, obviously, for such an important save.
30:33But I thought Mark Gay as well was excellent and some of the blocks he put in and positioning of
30:38him was excellent.
30:39So sometimes you ride your luck and I think City in that second half done that.
30:44Right, time to pick your favourite from January's Goal of the Month.
30:47Right, time to pick your favourite from January's Goal of the Month.
30:57Right, time to pick your favourite from January's Goal of the Month.
31:15The special moment provided by the man in form.
31:29Harrison Reid from distance.
31:34An exceptional goal from the most unlikely source.
31:39A how and wow moment from Harrison Reid.
31:48It's over.
31:55Boscalli, Van Hecht down.
31:57And the overhead.
31:58Oh, yes!
32:01What a goal to equalise!
32:04Can I have that pass, Kostoulos?
32:07That is simply sensational!
32:20Here's Castaggiano's.
32:23Locked by Ballard.
32:25Oh, what a good try!
32:27What a fantastic goal from Mateus Fernandes!
32:32It's an absolute beauty!
32:43Telemans, Rodgers, Buendia.
32:46It's a great effort.
32:48It's a sweet, sweet goal from Emi Buendia.
32:52It is a super finish from Buendia.
33:00Dorgu, well played Manchester United this.
33:03Bruno Fernandes, back to Dorgu.
33:05Shooting jobs!
33:06Brilliant goal!
33:07Manchester United lead at the league leaders.
33:10That is a brilliant goal by Dorgu.
33:13Not just the finish, but the build-up as well.
33:23Hey, who helped it on?
33:25Can they get the winner here now?
33:26It's a shot from Rage!
33:28Oh, my goodness me!
33:30That is a sensational goal by Mateus, couldn't you?
33:35Outrageous!
33:36That is a brilliant effort.
33:45They work it nicely.
33:46Oh, what a lovely goal from Junior Kruppi!
33:51The technique on that is superb.
33:58Difficult choice.
33:59That vote now using the QR code on screen.
34:01Go to the BBC Sport website and app.
34:03The vote closes at 11.15.
34:05We'll give you the results at the end of the show.
34:07Full terms and the privacy notice are on the website.
34:11Next, Brighton, one win in their last 11 against Crystal Palace.
34:15Six points above the relegation zone.
34:17And without a win in 12 in all competitions.
34:19Commentary comes from Jonathan Pearce.
34:23Today's atmosphere for what's always a bitterly fought derby
34:27is also fraught with trepidation.
34:29Since the start of December, only Wolves and Burnley
34:32have picked up fewer points than these two.
34:34Brighton fans, divided over head coach Fabian Herzler
34:37after just one win in 11, are surprised by his line-up as well.
34:42In their three changes, Bosagli replaces Vanheke,
34:45who has a hamstring injury.
34:46Ayari misses out with a shoulder problem.
34:49So 17-year-old Harry Howell becomes Brighton's youngest Premier League starter.
34:53And 18-year-old Karolampos Kostelas gets only a second league start
34:56in preference to Danny Welbeck.
34:59Palace supporters frustrated by the apparent break-up of the cup winning side
35:03and that 12-match run without a victory.
35:06A concern about the amount paid for new signing Jorgenstrand Larsson,
35:09who makes his debut after the £48 million move from Wolves.
35:13Adam Walton back from suspension.
35:15It's their second change.
35:16Riyad and Johnson go to the bench.
35:25Midsommar, Kostelas, Jorginho taken out of it to a fierce challenge,
35:29that's where the referees pulled it back.
35:31Our Brighton fans are groaning here
35:32because they think they had the advantage of Howells and on goal.
35:35But the referee noted the severity of the challenge.
35:39It's a yellow card for Hughes.
35:44Pascal Gross stands over it.
35:47Dunk!
35:50Decent whip-free kick.
35:53And still the weight goes on for the Brighton captain.
35:56And a goal in Narnia.
35:59Paul Barber, CEO, Vice Chair,
36:03talked this week extensively about the heightened expectancy here of fans.
36:09Brighton supporters frustrated there,
36:11not heading for Europe again at the moment.
36:13They want to be back there.
36:14He's as frustrated as anyone, Tony Bloom.
36:20Now the Kuiper.
36:24No shots on target so far.
36:27It's Omer with the cross.
36:29Partially cleared.
36:30It's a good block in there.
36:32Really strong block to deny the Kuiper.
36:37Richard's got the block in.
36:40Probably the closest we've come to a goal.
36:46Richard's giving it away.
36:48Back into the box.
36:53Brighton come again.
36:54And the Kuiper's second effort.
36:56And that's the first effort we've had on target in the game.
37:00And we've had half an hour.
37:02Michael Block here.
37:05It comes out to the Kuiper.
37:07He lashed it.
37:14He's given it away.
37:15He's had a really poor half in here.
37:16Sarr in on goal.
37:17Can he finish here?
37:18Lewis Dunk slid in.
37:21Vital intervention from the Brighton captain.
37:22And the shot went wide.
37:25The Labour furious with himself.
37:28He does beat himself up when he makes a mistake.
37:30He's still a young man, of course.
37:32And Sarr was away.
37:33And Dunk rescues Brighton.
37:37Neither side is in imminent peril.
37:40But both sides will be getting a little bit wary.
37:43And both sides need victories.
37:48Five home draws and a run of six games for Brighton.
37:53This game has followed the pattern of so many here recently.
37:59In goes Boscagli.
38:02Dunk heads it back into the mix.
38:04Here's Gesson.
38:05Bit of pace, strength, good ball in.
38:07Sarr, can he finish it here?
38:09But Palace ahead.
38:09Yes, he can.
38:101-0.
38:13The Eagles run up at the Seagulls.
38:19Jubilation at the Palace end.
38:22He took it so very, very well.
38:24Has ten goals now this season.
38:27Dunk's header back into a dangerous area.
38:31Gesson was speedy on to look at the gap here.
38:33Carioglu overcovered to the far side.
38:36Leaving the gap behind.
38:38Could the goalkeeper have done better?
38:40Hit him on the head and went in.
38:44This will be a huge win for Crystal Palace.
38:48And they've scored with their first effort on target in the game.
38:54Well, they're loving this, the Palace fans.
38:57Not much to sing about of late.
39:00This will be a tonic for the troops.
39:06But Skagli showing hunger.
39:09Mitoma, Ruta around the corner.
39:11Costellas here.
39:12He's certainly got a burst of pace.
39:13Has he got the composure to finish?
39:15Stopped by Henderson.
39:19Henderson.
39:20Believer's won it back.
39:22All very narrow in there and crowded.
39:24And it's another free kick conceded.
39:30Henderson makes himself big.
39:32Decent save.
39:34Finish should have been better.
39:37Start of December.
39:38Brighton and Fabian Hurtzler were in touch with third place.
39:45Now they are languishing in the bottom half of the table.
39:50That's a corner, I think.
40:00Hughes with the corner.
40:04Expect pressure at the near post here.
40:06Lerma comes in.
40:08He's headed over, but where was the marking?
40:13Look at the space in there.
40:21Here's Mitoma.
40:24Mitoma.
40:25Misplaced.
40:26Stun Larsson.
40:27Poor touch, really.
40:29Gets a shot away.
40:31Blocked by Verbruggen.
40:34And Brighton fans are loathing this.
40:38Mitoma gave it away.
40:40It has been another poor home display by Brighton-Hurlbj.
40:44Following on from the West Ham draw, the Sunderland draw, the Bournemouth draw, the Everton draw.
40:51Mr Palace in focus.
40:54Fabian Hurtzler's future a little blurred, perhaps.
40:58Empty seats in the east stand.
41:01Brighton fans have been dribbling away for the last 15 minutes or so.
41:06Here's Gesson.
41:09Strand-Larsson opening's up.
41:12Munoz.
41:12Johnson's in the middle.
41:14Pulled back for Strand-Larsson.
41:15Good stop.
41:16And away it goes, eventually, by Hintzler.
41:20Could have been two.
41:22But for the reflexes of Verbruggen.
41:27Far away look.
41:30A far away look from Fabian Hurtzler, who's side are far away from where they promised to be.
41:36But for Oliver Glasner, this is a welcome victory.
41:39Their first league win in ten.
41:40Their first win in all in 13 matches.
41:43And deserved.
41:44And that is what this derby means to both sets of players.
41:49Crystal Palace, a turning point, perhaps.
41:51For Brighton, the misery goes on.
41:55You heard the way the crowd reacted towards the end.
41:57And how difficult is that for you to take?
42:00I think it's football.
42:02And I have to accept that the emotions are part of the game.
42:07I just can say that I'm fully committed to this club.
42:11That I try my best together with my players.
42:12That I try my best together with the staff.
42:14And I will face it because I'm responsible for that.
42:17But I'm also there to find solutions.
42:19And I take the ownership for this.
42:21And I will keep going and finding solutions together with the team.
42:31To be honest, it was a relief.
42:33Pressure increases and increases.
42:35And we can talk about everything.
42:36We can analyse and we can do whatever we want.
42:39But you can never replace a win.
42:41This feeling.
42:42And that's why it was so important today.
42:44And again, especially in the derby.
42:48Clean sheet, winning after, I don't know, months of not winning.
42:54And then especially in an away game here against Brighton.
42:56Where we know it means so much for our fans.
43:00So, yeah, great Sunday afternoon.
43:05Today, the most important thing was to win.
43:08I know the club has been on a long run without winning.
43:11And especially for me as well.
43:12This season has been really, really tough.
43:13So, coming here to compete against a strong team in a derby.
43:17Take three points.
43:18It's an amazing start.
43:20Well, they were properly pumped up at the end, weren't they, Chris?
43:23So much attention on their attacking sidings recently.
43:27And yet it was how they defended that won them that game.
43:30Yeah, I thought they were excellent in defence.
43:31The three centre-backs and the two midfielders in front of them were excellent.
43:36And they had to be brave as well because they went man-to-man at times as well.
43:41And to do that, you have to be brave.
43:43And you do leave spaces in behind to be exploited.
43:46But they've done it really well.
43:49And you look at Watten and Hughes here in front of the back three.
43:52Giving them good cover.
43:54And then here, this is what I'm talking about.
43:56Richard's now stepping in.
43:57Bang.
43:58Win the ball back.
43:58Now sets Palace on the attack again.
44:01Again here, man for man.
44:03Now it's Laquois stepping in.
44:06But this is the danger.
44:07Now a little bit of miscommunication.
44:09With one ball spin down the side, they can get punished.
44:11But they get away with it.
44:12Get a little bit of luck.
44:14Win the ball back.
44:15High up the pitch again.
44:17And now it puts them on an attack.
44:19And then the ball comes back out to Wharton, who I thought was really good all game.
44:23A lovely little touch.
44:24And then he wins a free kick and gives Palace a chance to get the ball in the Brighton's penalty
44:28box.
44:29But now a bit deeper, defending the penalty box.
44:32So now the ball comes in.
44:34Great block on the first one.
44:35And then Laquois again, right in front of the goalkeeper, gets a great block again.
44:41Now this is Lerma.
44:42Long ball in behind.
44:44Stays with his runner.
44:46Let's the ball bounce.
44:47And a cool header back to his goalkeeper.
44:49And you can see Glasner there applauding the play.
44:53And now here Wharton, right in front of his back three.
44:57Wins the ball.
44:58Driving at the Brighton defence to get them up the field.
45:04The three on three again.
45:06The three on three again here.
45:07Now Lerma loses the first header.
45:09But Laquois comes in behind.
45:11Covers up.
45:12Covers for his teammates.
45:13And I think it's a really good victory.
45:16But the back three and the two in front were a big part of that.
45:20But also, that's a back three.
45:21You can see how pumped up Laquois is there.
45:23That's a back three that's lost its captain.
45:25Then Jefferson Lerma has a midfielder in their back three now.
45:28So they've had to rejig it.
45:30And as you say, you also need that bit of luck as well.
45:32Yeah, they've rejigged it.
45:33But I think what they have added is consistency in the shape.
45:37So I think the players will know that shape.
45:39The players who've been at the club will know that shape.
45:41And slot in Lerma.
45:42He's played all over the pitch for Palace, it seems, in this season.
45:46But I thought he slotted in then was excellent.
45:49You can look at this graphic here as either real praise for Crystal Palace
45:54and how they defended.
45:55Or a real worry for Brighton.
45:56They had over 60% possession and yet only touched the ball in the opposition box 13 times.
46:02These are worrying times for them.
46:06Yeah, they are.
46:06Because possession's great if you're building towards something.
46:09But they look like they're like...
46:10I think it's being thrown around a lot with Brighton at the moment.
46:13Losing a little bit of identity.
46:14What were they trying to do today?
46:16And I think Palace just felt so comfortable in the game.
46:18They felt so comfortable in that back three with the two screening.
46:21And they almost said, take as much possession as you want.
46:23Because when we do turn the ball over, we're going to hurt you.
46:26And they scored a really good goal off the back of it.
46:28Do you know what they are, Brighton, at the moment?
46:32What do you mean?
46:33As a team or as a club?
46:34Because as a club, you kind of associate them with bringing people to the Premier League,
46:38them excelling and then moving them on, be it a manager or be it a player.
46:43But as a team, not really.
46:44You know, Matoma, you know, we've seen him light the Premier League up.
46:47He's not really having his influence up front.
46:49There's just no real firepower.
46:51Are they a possession team?
46:53Palace looked very comfortable when they gave them the possession.
46:55They looked to press them and they struggled.
46:57So, no, I don't really do answer that.
46:59I think in a game of this importance, to play a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old
47:02in such a big game today was maybe a little bit naive.
47:06Especially when you've got the likes of James Milner with all his experience
47:09or Danny Welbeck on the bench.
47:11You maybe would have been suited more for this game.
47:12When you see this stat, and this is the number of unchanged teams
47:18that Fabian Hurtzler has picked this season, he's done it once.
47:21From your experience as a head coach and a manager,
47:24is that a man trying somehow to get the combinations to work?
47:30I think we're seeing that a lot with all teams.
47:32And we're hearing now, you're not a sub, you're a finisher.
47:35You're a sub.
47:37That's what you are.
47:39I think the more you can play the same team,
47:41we've seen it with Manchester United now playing more of a consistent team.
47:44When you're playing and you're building that chemistry with your teammates,
47:49it obviously helps you perform better.
47:51So, yeah, I think if Brighton can get a more settled team,
47:55maybe you'll get better results.
47:56Right.
47:57Your bench must have loved you.
47:59We start the first part of our weekend round up at Ellum Road on Friday night.
48:28We start the first part of our weekend round up at Ellum Road on Friday night.
48:33Back.
48:36In by Gimeraj.
48:37Keeper can't get to it.
48:39And he's headed home.
48:42We cross and headed home at the back post.
48:47Trippier down on his backside and tees it up for Jensen.
48:50What a chance.
48:52Shout for penalty given.
48:54It's Thiago for Brentford and a 2-1 lead.
48:59Bodies falling in the middle
49:01Penalty given
49:05He is beaten
49:06And we're level at St James'
49:10Well that's a lovely ball from Jenson
49:12Wattara is in
49:13And Wattara thumps it home
49:15For 3-2 Brentford
49:19Sancho's drifting inside
49:20And he's found Rodgers
49:24Really good run
49:25Rayanoi scored
49:27It's an outstanding individual goal
49:30On his home debut
49:33Missed by Romero
49:36He was ready for whatever
49:38Cunha was trying to do
49:39Romero then goes into Casimiro
49:41Both players hurt
49:42And it's a red card for Cristian Romero
49:49And he's got a flat one to Mainu
49:51Here's Embermo
49:53Brilliantly worked
50:04If you missed anything this weekend
50:06Both match of the days are on the iPlayer
50:07Along with highlights of each game
50:09There's a full midweek programme in the Premier League
50:11That means there's a Wednesday match of the day
50:13BBC One and iPlayer at 10.40
50:15Women's football show
50:16The best of the WSL action
50:18Is available on the iPlayer
50:20Now we've got two live FA Cup fourth round ties next weekend
50:23Hold Chelsea on Friday night
50:25Villa Newcastle on Saturday
50:27Here are the rest of the weekend's goals
50:32Pichal Petro collects
50:33But can't quite offload
50:35Oh but then goes over
50:37And Jared Gillen
50:38Has given a penalty
50:41Palmer
50:42Perfect
50:43And Chelsea are in front
50:48Oh Pichal Petro's gone over
50:50And it's another penalty
50:55Different corner
50:56Same outcome
50:58Touched on here for Cucure
51:00Chelsea looking for a third
51:01Palmer
51:02Hat-trick for Cole Palmer
51:06Manet's corner
51:07Flicked on
51:07Oh
51:08It's in
51:10Irokodare gets Wolves on the board
51:17It's a foul Smith-Rowe
51:19But they've still got the ball
51:20And then suddenly
51:20Iwobi's got it in Everton's box
51:22And here's Jimenez
51:24So that will go down
51:26As a Vitaly Mikhellenko own goal
51:29Mikhellenko
51:29Good spin from him
51:30Mikhellenko
51:31Dudesby Hall
51:321-1
51:34Everton corner
51:35And there is some Everton flow
51:37Oh how's that gone in?
51:39Leno has made a right mess of it
51:41The Fulham goalkeeper
51:45And now
51:45Crescensio Somerville
51:47And he's nicked it over
51:48The goalkeeper to score
51:51Crescensio Somerville
51:52Which turns to aim for
51:53Including Tati Castellanos
52:01Sets it
52:02Oh it's there
52:03A fusible strike
52:07Havertz
52:09Irokodarez
52:11Or Ranildo
52:13Stuttered
52:14And Arsenal are in here
52:17It's Martinelli
52:19Irokodarez
52:23Here's the table
52:25Arsenal's lead back down to six
52:26After Manchester City's win
52:28Defeat for Liverpool
52:29Means they trail Chelsea
52:30And the top five
52:31By four points
52:32Palace ended their
52:3412th game winless run
52:35At Brighton
52:35And they've jumped above
52:36Their rivals
52:37Brighton dropping to 14th
52:38But they still have
52:40An eight point buffer
52:41To the relegation zone
52:42And here's the result
52:43Of January's goal of the month
52:57And it was a difficult choice
52:59In third place
53:01With 18% of the vote
53:02Was Cunha
53:03In second place
53:04With 24% of the vote
53:06Was Dorgu
53:06And the winner of January's goal of the month
53:09Fulham's Harrison Reid
53:10With 26%
53:18Harrison Reid from distance
53:23An exceptional goal
53:25From the most unlikely source
53:28A how
53:29And wow
53:30Moment
53:30From Harrison Reid
53:34Cracking goal
53:35Thank you to Joe
53:36And Wayne
53:37Given the Winter Olympics
53:38Are on
53:39And Manchester City's
53:40Number nine
53:40Got the winner
53:41At Anfield
53:42I'm under huge pressure
53:43From the team
53:43To end the show
53:44With a curling
53:45Harland pun
53:45Don't laugh
53:47I refuse to do that
53:48Good night
54:12I refuse to do that
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