Nicolas Anelka came back to haunt Gerard Houllier with two goals which could
do untold damage to Liverpool's Champions League dreams.
Chelsea's defeat at West Ham means Liverpool are actually level on points now
with the west Londoners - but still need a win next Sunday at Stamford Bridge if
they are to steal the fourth qualifying place.
But they will not want to remember their former team-mate Anelka with much
warmth, after he scored his first goals since late February to fire City to
victory.
After Milan Baros had fired Liverpool ahead, Anelka's pace won him a penalty
following a Djimi Traore foul, which he blasted home himself.
Then in injury time Anelka - dumped last summer as Houllier chose to sign El
Hadji Diouf - struck with a fine rising volley to give Manchester City their
first win at Anfield in 22 years.
Unchanged Liverpool found City annoyingly disruptive to their Champions League
aspirations.
Peter Schmeichel pulled off a string of fine saves while French defensive
pairing Sylvain Distin and David Sommeil cancelled out the threat of Michael
Owen with an outstanding display.
Elsewhere Ali Benarbia was sheer quality while Joey Barton, Kevin Horlock and
Shaun Wright-Phillips ran themselves into the ground in midfield.
In a first half of few chances, Schmeichel - playing the penultimate game of
his professional career - showed his class, tipping over at full stretch a
blistering Steven Gerrard free-kick, and then producing a reflex block to get a
shoulder in the way of a Dietmar Hamann 30-yard effort.
Elsewhere Robbie Fowler - greeted loudly by the Kop on his Anfield return -
got little change out of Sami Hyypia, while free-scoring Michael Owen and the
equally quick Milan Baros were confronted with two defenders in Distin and
Sommeil who could match them off the mark.
City had Horlock - in for the injured Marc Vivien Foe - and Richard Dunne
booked in the first half, while referee Neale Barry's main job during that
period was to keep a sharp eye on the pulling and pushing going on constantly
between Baros and Distin.
Twice Baros went down in the box in the opening half, under pressure from
Distin and Scouse midfielder Barton and both times Barry was not interested.
City had two fine chances straight after the break to take control, but Fowler
and Anelka wasted them.
Fowler managed to scuff an effort from Wright-Phillips cross right in front of
the Kop, and then Anelka was played in by Benarbia but was forced wide and
drilled his shot into the sidenetting.
But on 59 minutes Liverpool got the stroke of luck they needed to inject
belief into a flagging performance - and the goal was clouded in controversy.
Fowler, deep in his own half, looked to be fouled by Hamann but Barry gave
nothing. Diouf got the ball into the box from the right and Baros hooked it into
the net from six yards.
The decision angered City and created an unpleasant atmosphere, with Gerrard
and Dunne confronting each other before a City free-kick could be taken.
City, through Barton and then Fowler, bounced back with two chances of their
own.
But Schmeichel then produced another stunning save. Diouf shot from 10 yards
and the goalkeeper palmed it instinctively up and onto the bar, and followed
that up with close range block from Baros.
City were deservedly level on 74 minutes when Traore clipped Anelka as he
surged into the box onto a Benarbia pass. The big French striker stepped up to
drill home the penalty himself.
On 77 minutes Liverpool took off Diouf and Hamann and introduced Bruno Cheyrou
and Emile Heskey - but it achieved little - with Heskey booked two minutes after
coming on for a foul on Wright-Phillips.
City had defended superbly, worked hard in midfield, and two minutes into
injury time they struck with a peach of a winner.
Benarbia and Wright-Phillips combined and the ball was touched to Anelka, who
lashed it home from 15 yards to reduce Anfield to stunned silence.
Teams:
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Traore, Hyypia, Riise,
Diouf (Heskey 78), Hamann (Cheyrou 78), Gerrard, Murphy, Owen,
Baros.
Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Diao, Biscan.
Booked: Hamann, Heskey.
Goals: Baros 59.
Man City: Schmeichel, Dunne, Sommeil, Distin, Wright-Phillips,
Barton, Benarbia, Horlock, Jensen, Fowler, Anelka.
Subs Not Used: Nash, Macken, Jihai, Bischoff, Belmadi.
Booked: Horlock, Dunne.
Goals: Anelka 74 pen, 90.
Att: 44,220
Ref: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).
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