Star Looks a Shadow of His Former Self in Liverpool’s 1–2 Loss to Man City
In the standout Premier League clash of the weekend, Liverpool welcomed Manchester City to Anfield in a match packed with tension and talking points. City eventually emerged with a dramatic 2–1 victory, though one player endured a particularly difficult afternoon.
Both sides have lifted the league title in the last two campaigns, but the context was different heading into this encounter. Under Arne Slot, Liverpool were focused on strengthening their push for a Champions League place, starting the weekend sixth in the table, four points adrift of Chelsea in fifth.
Manchester City, meanwhile, remain in the title hunt, but Arsenal’s win the previous day had opened up a nine-point gap, leaving Pep Guardiola’s side knowing they needed a result. The game was played at a relentless pace, with chances at both ends and neither team lacking ambition.
Liverpool struck first through Dominik Szoboszlai, who curled home a sensational free-kick to ignite Anfield. That moment of brilliance, however, wasn’t enough to secure victory. Bernardo Silva brought City level late on, equalising in the 84th minute.
The drama didn’t stop there. Deep into stoppage time, City were awarded a penalty after Alisson Becker brought down Matheus Nunes. Erling Haaland calmly converted to complete the turnaround. Rayan Cherki appeared to add a third with virtually the final touch of the match, but VAR ruled the goal out and Szoboszlai was shown a red card.
Fans Criticise Rodri’s Display
Despite City taking all three points, attention quickly turned to the performance of Rodri, with many observers feeling the reigning Ballon d’Or winner looked far from his best. Once known for dictating matches with ease, the midfielder appeared to struggle throughout the contest.
Rodri was dispossessed seven times, beaten twice by dribbles, and made a mistake that led to a Liverpool shot. While not a complete disaster, the display raised eyebrows, particularly given City’s reliance on him in big games.
Supporters from both sides — and neutrals — were quick to react on social media, with several questioning whether the Spaniard has declined. Comments ranged from claims that he looked “washed” to suggestions City should urgently sign a new holding midfielder. Others went even further, labelling him a liability and calling the performance “beyond finished.”
One City supporter even urged Guardiola to substitute him during the match, pointing out that Rodri has been the most pressed player in the league this season and appeared unable to cope with the intensity at Anfield.
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