The scenes after the match ended at Anfield said it all. While Liverpool fans slowly left the stadium, Manchester City fans celebrated enthusiastically in the area for the away team.
For many of those present, this was probably the first time they had seen Pep Guardiola's team win at Liverpool's famous home ground, because City's last victory at Anfield was in 2003.
For Liverpool coach Arne Slot, this is an unwanted stain in a season when the Premier League champion continues to decline miserably. When leading 1-0, Liverpool looked like the team that easily won the championship last season. However, as soon as Silva equalized in the 84th minute, it seemed that home fans had felt what was about to happen.
Haaland's penalty goal in the 93rd minute was the sixth goal Liverpool conceded after the 90th minute in the Premier League this season, all from narrow defeats or draws. After taking advantage of late victories in the first weeks of the season, Liverpool has now become a master at collapsing in the last seconds of the match.
With a 5-point gap to close compared to fourth-placed Manchester United, they need to quickly give up this habit. Otherwise, the opportunity to win a Champions League spot will soon slip out of The Kop's hands.
The decline in form of Salah and Alisson
When it comes to the players who have created the foundation for Liverpool's success in the past decade, Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker are almost unrivaled.
The excellence of this duo at both ends of the field has inspired the "Reds" to win many victories against Man City in recent years. However, the recent defeat is evidence of their decline in form.
Salah's record against Man City is extraordinary. Before the recent match, the Egyptian international scored or assisted 15 of Liverpool's last 20 goals against Guardiola's team in the Premier League.
Although Salah was unlucky, it is undeniable that his career is declining. The same can be said about Alisson, who unnecessarily fouled Matheus Nunes in the penalty area, creating an opportunity for Man City to win in the final minutes of the match.
Of course, both players still play an important role for Liverpool this season and possibly next season. But currently, they are proof that Slot's team is still in a transitional phase, with Jurgen Klopp-era superstars gradually losing their peak form.
Szoboszlai's red card
There is a certain irony when Dominik Szoboszlai - Liverpool's best player of the season and the person who seemed to have decided the big battle with Man City - left the field with a red card before the final whistle sounded after pulling down Erling Haaland.
Szoboszlai is often praised as the hero of The Kop this season, but it seems that even he cannot escape the troubles that keep clinging to the team's turbulent campaign.
Szoboszlai thought he could bring victory to the home team when he took a beautiful direct free kick, sending the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma when the match was 16 minutes left.
That was a classy moment, continuing the energetic performance of the Hungarian international. He currently has 4 goals from direct free kicks in all competitions this season - the most of a Liverpool player in a season, since Luis Suarez scored 5 goals in the 2012-2013 season.
Assigned to play right-back against Man City, Szoboszlai still tried to push Liverpool's attack in the second half, once again showing that he possesses all the qualities to become the future captain.
However, in injury time, when Alisson left the goal and rushed up, his temper caused Szoboszlai to snatch Haaland's shirt in an uncontrolled ball situation. After VAR intervened, the referee issued a direct red card.
As a result, Szoboszlai will be absent from Liverpool's challenging midweek match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. This season, bad luck keeps coming to Slot and Liverpool. And this time, it strikes directly at the player they look forward to most.
