By Martin Graham
Roy Keane believes Manchester City’s dramatic victory at Anfield could have major consequences for Arsenal’s pursuit of the Premier League crown, describing the outcome as a damaging moment for the north London side.
City remain six points behind Arsenal at the summit, yet their late success on Merseyside ensured the pressure stayed firmly on the leaders. With another fixture still to come, Pep Guardiola’s side have the opportunity to further reduce the gap at the top.
Late drama swings momentum at Anfield
The reigning champions secured all three points deep into stoppage time, as Erling Haaland converted from the spot to seal a dramatic turnaround. The goal marked only Guardiola’s second win at Anfield across 11 visits, underlining the significance of the result.
Liverpool had taken the lead through a stunning free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai after the interval. However, City responded strongly in the closing stages, with Bernardo Silva — making his return from injury — finding the equaliser before the decisive moment arrived.
The winning penalty was awarded after Alisson brought down Matheus Nunes inside the area, giving Haaland the chance to complete the comeback.
Keane highlights psychological impact on Arsenal
Analysing the match on Sky Sports, Keane stressed how important the victory was for City, pointing to their poor historical returns at the stadium and the resilience shown after falling behind.
He noted that Guardiola had spoken beforehand about the need for courage and character in such an environment, qualities Keane felt were clearly on display, particularly after the break. While City had moved the ball well earlier in the contest, it was their hunger and determination later on that impressed him most.
Keane added that, despite Arsenal maintaining a healthy advantage, seeing City recover from a losing position to claim maximum points could have a significant mental effect on the title race.
Arsenal deliver, but City refuse to relent
Earlier in the weekend, Arsenal had taken care of their own responsibilities with a commanding 3–0 win over Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium, preserving their cushion at the top of the standings.
Nevertheless, City’s comeback ensured the gap could still be reduced to three points should they overcome Fulham in midweek, keeping the championship battle very much alive.