In tight title races where teams are only separated by one, two or three points in the final reckoning, there can be a pivotal, season-defining moment where the league is won and lost.
Some are pretty obvious — think Steven Gerrard’s slip against Chelsea in 2014 — and some may take longer to recall, such as teenage debutant Federico Macheda’s last-minute winner for Manchester United against Aston Villa in 2009 (the win saw United leapfrog Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool and they would only drop two points in their remaining nine games).
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In a race as close as this one, with a solitary point separating three teams with just 10 games each to go, Ederson’s moment of madness — and Alexis Mac Allister holding his nerve to bury the resulting penalty despite a three-and-a-half minute delay — may prove decisive one way or the other.
It is not beyond the realms of possibility, for example, that Arsenal, for whom Sunday’s 1-1 draw was ideal, now win their final 10 games and therefore lift the title. Had City won this, they would have been top of the table with a game against the Gunners next up in the league at the end of March. Win that and they are four points ahead of Arsenal with nine games to go and, well, you get the idea.
Anyway, we’ll see. But the four minutes which changed the course of the game will undoubtedly have a sizeable bearing on the final outcome in May, in which case City will rue dropping two points after they had pretty much played the perfect first half at Anfield. The penalty changed the momentum of the match: the decibels rose, Liverpool were roused and City never gained control thereafter.
“It was a tight game of moments,” Pep Guardiola said, and Ederson’s foul after Nathan Ake’s short pass was the biggest such moment, one with repercussions not just because Liverpool avoided defeat and City dropped points, but because the Brazilian may now be sidelined after injuring himself in the process.
“It doesn’t look good,” Guardiola bemoaned.
Stefan Ortega is an able deputy, but he is a No 2 for a reason. He’s no Ederson.
It all started fairly innocuously. City kicked off the second half, worked the ball around for a bit and Kevin De Bruyne won a free-kick on halfway.
Thirty seconds later, Phil Foden attempts to amble down the right touchline but is halted by a meaty combination of Joe Gomez and Mac Allister, who tag team to win possession and leave Foden on the floor, arms outstretched appealing for a free kick which never comes.
Liverpool knock the ball around their defence and Jarell Quansah confidently steps into midfield, clear of Erling Haaland and over the halfway line. He looks for Conor Bradley down the right channel. It’s a terrible pass, misdirected and overhit.
Ake has the simple task of passing back to Ederson but, with his weaker right foot, he plays it woefully short and into the path of Darwin Nunez. It’s a bit Stuart Pearce against San Marino in 1993.
On commentary, Gary Neville sees the danger and begins humming disapprovingly. As Ederson fouls Nunez, Neville’s hum rises in pitch, like a metal detector which has hovered immediately over the top of a buried Saxon coin.
Several City players do things with their arms. Ake puts both of his towards his head in a manner of; ‘What the hell have I just done?’.
John Stones flails his arms then looks in Ederson’s direction in a manner of: ‘What the hell have you just done?’.
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Manuel Akanji also raises both his arms, then despondently looks to the heavens, which feels optimistic.
Referee Michael Oliver has already pointed to the spot before Nunez has finished his tumble. Ederson carries the forlorn look of a man who has just realised he forgot to post a Mother’s Day card; slightly irked, but knows it is completely his own fault.
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No City player attempts to dissuade Oliver. In fact, the only player arguing is Virgil van Dijk, who presumably wants Ederson to be sent off. Instead, he is booked because as the laws state if he was attempting to play the ball the referee cannot award a penalty and a red card.
To be honest, the Brazilian keeper is so late with his Peter Kay-esque ‘’Ave it’ swipe, that it is debatable, but the yellow stands.
“Nailed on penalty for me, good position by the referee, ’keeper’s committed, clear penalty,” Mike Dean says — which immediately makes you doubt it was the correct decision.
As the first replay is shown, Neville is still sighing and bemoaning a “moment of madness” (is it fair to point out at this point that Neville hates Liverpool and won’t be happy they have won a penalty?).
“Ederson, who usually is a lot more composed in moments like that…” Neville continues. Again, not to pick on Sky’s premier co-commentator, but there is ample evidence to contradict that statement, not least from just one week ago when he was a split second away from conceding a penalty for a similarly robust challenge on Alejandro Garnacho in the Manchester derby.
Sorry but Ederson has made mad challenges like that so many times. There was a period a few years back where I think he did it three times in a month or something. He’s obviously got lots of those decisions right and they’re less memorable, but it’s always been a shortcoming.
— Michael Cox (@Zonal_Marking) March 10, 2024
There is no defence for Ederson on the replays. Yes, Nunez sees the goose step left leg blocking his path and launches into/over it, angling sideways and high into the air like a Uruguayan humpback whale leaping out of the ocean, but it is a penalty.
Ederson leans forward on his haunches. Playacting to delay the penalty? On this occasion, it appears not. He’s swung his leg with such unnecessary welly that he has injured himself.
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Van Dijk continues to argue with Oliver while Kyle Walker chimes in, then Oliver calls for the City physios. That sound you can hear is Mac Allister’s eyes rolling. Ortega begins to warm up.
Haaland shuffles around Ederson to see what the problem is, although instead of expressing undue concern he simply clears his nose. Perhaps it is a term of endearment.
It is already almost two minutes since the penalty was awarded. Anfield is rowdy and expectant, the home fans sing about the Reds going marching in and wanting to be in that number.
Two medical staff stand by Ederson, not treating his leg but just chatting to him, perhaps about the weather, maybe where Mac Allister puts his penalties, perhaps about Ake’s right-footed passes. One shrugs his shoulders and says something to Oliver. As the keeper gingerly walks towards his goal line, Mac Allister ruefully smiles in his direction, pacing back and forth around the edge of the area while bouncer Van Dijk shepherds Walker in the opposite direction.
Three minutes and 20 seconds after Oliver’s whistle blew for the foul, it blows again for the penalty to be taken… and Mac Allister sends a perfect penalty just out of the keeper’s reach. No daft run up, no silly placement, no fancy technique, just placement, power and perfection.
The City fans behind the goal who elected to record the penalty press stop on their videos.
The Liverpool fans doing the same will soon upload theirs to social media, with 93 per cent of them posting “get in” alongside it.
Mac Allister retrieves the ball from the net, Ake looks rueful and Anfield roars a lot. City almost immediately concede possession from the kick off and, to be frank, they rarely regain the ball in a meaningful, composed manner again.
Ederson soon limps off. Liverpool don’t find their winner, but one point is better than none. And City not winning all three is vital.
A crucial five minutes in the destiny of the title race? Ask us again in two months, but probably yes. And it all came from an awful Quansah pass. Funny old game.
(Top photo: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)