Manchester City produced a stunning late comeback to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday and blow this season's Premier League title race wide open once more, though the fixture ended in complete chaos following a VAR check.
The visitors looked as though they were heading for defeat when Dominik Szoboszlai put the Reds ahead with a thunderbolt free-kick.
However, City levelled through Bernardo Silva to spark hopes that they'd be able to reign supreme.
Alisson Becker conceded a penalty in stoppage time, fouling Matheus Nunes inside the box. Erling Haaland then duly stepped up to fire City to a vital win.
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However, the game wasn't done.
With Liverpool chasing a late leveller, and with Alisson keen to atone for his earlier mistake, the Brazil international went forward for a set-piece following a brilliant save from Gianluigi Donnarumma at the other end.
City quickly got the ball back and broke quickly, with Rayan Cherki hitting the ball into an empty net from distance.
A CHAOTIC end to the game at Anfield! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/RYtK2yxriM
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 8, 2026
City, it seemed, had extended their lead.
But the goal was controversially disallowed, with Haaland and Szoboszlai grappling as the ball crossed the line.
It appeared Szoboszlai had committed a foul on Haaland but both men were admittedly holding each other.
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Dominik Szoboszlai grappled with Erling Haaland in the closing stages of Man City's win over Liverpool at Anfield
|GETTY
The goal should, if common sense had been applied, been given.
Yet after VAR intervened the effort was chalked off, Szoboszlai received his marching orders and players and staff members on both sides were left completely furious.
City were consequently given a direct free-kick, instead of a goal, with Cherki blazing his effort over the bar. Ultimately, however, Haaland's goal was the difference between the two teams.
The drama was a huge talking point after the game. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville vented his fury at VAR, with the former Manchester United captain saying: "Talk about a killjoy.
"They have just killed one of the great moments of the season."
And fans on social media were equally unhappy.
Erling Haaland scored the winner as Man City beat Liverpool
|GETTY
"This is what football has become. the joy of the game has been drained out of it. VAR is awful and needs to get in the bin, I don’t care about rules, it’s c**p," said one user.
A second raged: "Moments like this are when VAR rightly gets criticised. Stupid."
Another wrote: "Refigure VAR in the summer, ffs. It’s ruining the game."
A fourth said: This is the most bizarre use of VAR I've ever seen. It definitely tops all the s***housery."
And a fifth fumed: "VAR is the worst thing to happen to football, bunch of killjoys sitting in front of monitors."
The result means City are now just six points behind Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, with Liverpool stuck behind rivals Chelsea and Manchester United in the race to finish in the top four.