IT WAS a decision that could alter the course of the title race.
With seconds remaining, Man City substitute Jeremy Doku committed a rash challenge on Alexis Mac Allister inside the box.
For a moment, fans and players from both sides held their breath.
The referee didn’t award a penalty initially, but it quickly became clear that it would be subject to a VAR check.
After looking at the replay, former referee Mike Dean said on Sky Sports: “He’s caught him right on the chest, it could be a penalty.”
Pundit Gary Neville also suspected a spot kick might be awarded, saying: “I think Doku could be in trouble.”
Yet the officials decided against awarding the penalty.
“He’s very fortunate,” said Dean. “He’s a lucky boy,” agreed Neville.
The referees’ message transmitted to Sky was that Doku “played the ball in a reasonable position”.
Looking at the replay, Doku did touch the ball, but his studs also made significant contact with Mac Allister’s chest.
It is a challenge that is almost always penalised when it happens outside the box.
The fact that it occurred so late on and would have almost certainly constituted the winning goal if Liverpool had scored from the spot made it all the more frustrating for most of those watching on at Anfield.
Were Liverpool unlucky to not be awarded a penalty? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/gWpYOfzuNX
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 10, 2024
Jurgen Klopp expressed his annoyance afterwards, suggesting that “football people” understand it is a penalty.
Perhaps the magnitude of the occasion affected the officials, knowing that awarding a spot kick would have a major impact on the title race.
They had already given Liverpool one penalty — albeit Ederson’s foul on Darwin Nunez was as clear-cut as these decisions can be.
It brought to mind a similarly riveting clash between these two sides in January 2019 at the Etihad Stadium.
On that day, City won 2-1. The famous moment in that game came when Sadio Mane hit the post and John Stones scrambled the ball away, as it failed to cross the line by 1.12cm.
That 1.12cm was the difference between City and Liverpool winning the league, as Guardiola’s side pipped Klopp’s men by a point, simultaneously denying an entire unbeaten Premier League season.
Liverpool fans will be praying the officials’ decision from this afternoon does not have similar consequences.
Yet the Reds can at least take plenty of confidence from the performance.
At the start of the day, City looked in a stronger position. While Liverpool had several first-team regulars unavailable or only fit enough for the bench in the case of Mo Salah, City were close to full strength.
And the away side started strongly, with John Stones’ opportunistic finish from a well-executed Kevin De Bruyne corner putting them ahead.
But in the latter stages, it felt like the reigning champions were holding on. While Liverpool survived a few scares, they generally dominated as Guardiola’s side suffered in a way that has rarely been seen since the Catalan coach arrived in English football.
Uncharacteristically for City, they were second best in the possession statistic, with 47%.
They also had 10 shots to their opponents 19 with six each on target.
While a somewhat depleted Liverpool might have started the day thinking a draw would be a decent result, their rivals breathed a sigh of relief at the final whistle.
In what is almost certainly the last time that Guardiola and Klopp meet in the Premier League as managers, it was perhaps fitting the game ended in a draw as the margins between these two rivals have invariably been so small.
And as has also usually been the case in recent history, Liverpool punched above their weight against an immensely talented and imperious City side facing 115 Premier League charges, without ultimately getting the result they desired.
