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Man City are breathing down Arsenal’s necks after frenzy and farce in rare win over Liverpool at Anfield

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4 weeks ago

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A farcical finish, but a fantastic win for Pep Guardiola. He had waited a decade to taste victory at a full Anfield. When he did, with a comeback for the ages, seemingly capped by a goal from the halfway line into an empty net, pernickety officiating injected an element of absurd with a decision that no one wanted or needed.

And yet the overall outcome was the same. As Liverpool led, it felt as though Arsenal were about to be anointed champions. “The whole team knew before the game if we lost it then the title race was probably over,” said Bernardo Silva. Instead, he helped revive it. Erling Haaland, policed well by Virgil van Dijk, enduring a frustrating afternoon, suddenly turned catalyst. A manager who had visited Anfield 10 previous times, winning only in lockdown, got the triumph that had always eluded him. “It is so difficult,” sighed Guardiola. “Anfield is Anfield: the tradition, the history, the crowd.”

His historic triumph had considerable consequences for Liverpool. Dominik Szoboszlai had shaped up as the match-winner and ended up sent off and suspended for Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland. Arne Slot beat Guardiola at home and away last season. Now there has been another reversal in fortunes – indeed City’s first league double over Liverpool since 1937 – and a second defeat in three league games left the Dutchman bemoaning misfortune. “So many times this year we haven’t got what I think we deserve and this is another time,” sighed Slot. “I am feeling anger and disappointment.”

An extraordinary end was a familiar one for a team who have conceded four injury-time winners this season. If, for much of the match, this seemed a pale imitation of some of the epic encounters between Guardiola’s City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, the last half-hour brought drama to rival any. And, for Szoboszlai, a cruelty.

Dominik Szoboszlai appeals for a foul after City find the net in added time

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Dominik Szoboszlai appeals for a foul after City find the net in added time (Reuters)
Craig Pawson sends off Szoboszlai at the end of City's victory at Anfield

Craig Pawson sends off Szoboszlai at the end of City’s victory at Anfield (AFP/Getty)

It may be best to start at the end; with Alisson stranded in City territory, Rayan Cherki rolled the ball in from the centre circle. It was pursued by two scorers, former teammates and friends. Szoboszlai tugged Haaland back, then the Norwegian responded in kind to stop the Hungarian clearing off the line. And, as neither reached Cherki’s shot, City celebrated. A VAR check later, a needless intervention from Craig Pawson and, ludicrously, Szoboszlai was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity even as the goal seemed to be scored. A free kick was instead awarded. “Just give the goal, don’t give a red card, simple as that,” said Haaland, speaking for many. Guardiola concurred. “Come on referee, give the goal and go home,” he said. “It is common sense.”

So City only won 2-1 and so Haaland had the status of the scorer of the decider. He assisted the equaliser, too, heading Cherki’s cross down behind Van Dijk for Silva to slide in and score. The City skipper had been an injury doubt: instead the man Guardiola called “the perfect captain” completed the game and started the fightback.

Haaland finished it; officially, anyway. He still has not scored a Premier League goal in open play since Christmas. It is a statistic that seems to matter rather less when he has an ice-cool penalty at Anfield to his name, earned when Silva chipped the ball forward and Matheus Nunes was upended by Alisson; it was not the last time the Liverpool goalkeeper was found in the wrong place. Haaland drilled in the spot kick. His celebration was first wild and then calm, in his trademark meditative pose. He had taken off his shirt, willingly collecting his booking. Like Guardiola, he had unhappy memories of Anfield to exorcise: his only previous goal here came in a Red Bull Salzburg side featuring Szoboszlai.

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Bernardo Silva races back to the halfway line after scoring for City

Bernardo Silva races back to the halfway line after scoring for City (PA)
Erling Haaland converts from the penalty spot

Erling Haaland converts from the penalty spot (Getty)

Cherki’s role in the victory should not be underestimated. A surprise omission, City missed his creativity. An inspired substitution, he helped turn the game. He might have joined Liverpool last summer, but they preferred to buy Florian Wirtz. Marc Guehi almost joined them on deadline day in September, was booed by the Anfield faithful and defended brilliantly. When he tugged back Mohamed Salah on the edge of the box, a caution seemed a price worth paying for pragmatism. Slot disagreed, more aggrieved by this decision than Szoboszlai’s sending off. “If you follow the rule book, it is a red card on Mo Salah,” he said. But Pawson was probably right there, Guehi was terrific and Liverpool got a glimpse of what they missed out on: of what they lost, too, as Haaland encouraged Pep Lijnders, Klopp’s long-term assistant and now Guardiola’s sidekick, to accept the City fans’ applause after the final whistle.

Meanwhile, Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose spot-kick saves had eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League last season, made a stunning save to deny Alexis Mac Allister a 98th-minute equaliser. “Out of this world,” said Haaland.

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When the Italian was beaten, it was in stunning, spectacular fashion. “What a strike,” said Guardiola. Szoboszlai produced a free kick that may have been even better than his winner against Arsenal, swerving in via the far post, leaving Donnarumma motionless. It seemed to leave City exiting the title race. Superior in the first half, without scoring, they were looking inferior in the second. But then it all changed in a fightback to anger Liverpool and annoy Arsenal. “Six points is still a lot,” counselled Guardiola. “All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal.” And that may leave Arsenal feeling uncomfortable.

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Joey Barton charged after assault near golf club

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7 minutes ago

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10 March 2026

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The former footballer is arrested along with a second suspect near Huyton and Prescot Golf Club.

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Josh Frey’s 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Toledo Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

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21 minutes ago

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10 March 2026

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Toldeo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in 2023
Dec 30, 2023; Tucson, AZ, USA; Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (22) against the Wyoming Cowboys in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.

This year’s safety class has become all about Caleb Downs.

Rightfully so as the Ohio State product has all the tools to become a starter at the NFL level. However, there is another defensive back prospect out of Toledo who has begun catching the eyes of many as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches. That player is Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

Background

Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

Statistics

  • 2022: 7 tackles, 1 forced fumble (13 games)
  • 2023: 69 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles (14 games)
  • 2024: 61 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble (8 games)
  • 2025: 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered (13 games)

Measurables

  • Height: 6′ 3 1/2″
  • Weight: 201
  • Hand Size: 9 1/4″
  • Arm Length: 32 1/8″
  • 40-Yard Dash: 4.52
  • 10-Yard Split: 1.58
  • 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
  • Vertical: 35.5″
  • Broad Jump: 10′ 2″
  • 3-Cone: N/A
  • Bench: N/A

Experience is not an issue for McNeil-Warren heading into the NFL. He began making starts during his sophomore season in 2023 before taking over the role fully during his junior year. While his 2024 season was cut short due to an undisclosed injury. That didn’t seem to hamper him in 2025 though as he bounced back and had another fantastic season for the Rockets.

Strengths

Sep 14, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) runs the ball against Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images

McNeil-Warren is an absolute demon at the safety position against the run. He is not afraid of contact and uses his size to deliver massive hits, hence why he forced nine fumbles over his four years in college, including a MAC-leading four during his sophomore year in 2023. His ability to drive downhill on running lanes in the box and bring some pop is a special trait that NFL defenses will crave.

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The athletic ability should not be slept on either. McNeil-Warren has an innate ability to pick the right lane through blockers and turn his hips to make seamless direction changes, sniffing out the football along the way. His ability to make open field tackles is extremely impressive.

On top of that, among FBS safeties with at least 200 coverage snaps in 2025, he was PFF’s top graded player with a coverage grade of 92.0. He was targeted just 15 times this season, and he gave up just six receptions for 116 yards with five pass breakups.

Weaknesses

2026 NFL Draft Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
Aug 30, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Dante Dowdell (2) jumps over Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) during the third quarter at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Much like Quinyon Mitchell a couple years ago, many of the concerns stem from the level of competition McNeil-Warren went up against in college. It’s easier to make plays when you’re one of the fastest players on the field, but that speed will become the norm at the NFL level.

While tackling has been a strong suit throughout his career, there seemed to be some lapses in focus during his senior season. He more than doubled his missed tackle numbers from six in 2024 to 13 in 2025. H0pefully, that won’t become a trend as a pro.

2026 NFL Draft Projection

Sep 14, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) and Toledo Rockets safety Maxen Hook (25) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
  • NFL Draft Projection: Day 1-Day 2 (Mid-Round 1 to Early Round 2)
  • Team Fits: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers

McNeil-Warren may end up falling a bit further in the draft because of where he played his college football, but at some point, talent is talent. The man is an extremely fun football player to watch, brings tons of energy and physicality, and he has the potential to be a cornerstone for a defense in the NFL.

Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.

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Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey

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What is Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft?

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35 minutes ago

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10 March 2026

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Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft is a unique mod that drastically increases the game’s difficulty to bizarre levels. The hardest vanilla difficulty is the hardcore mode. In hardcore mode, you will lose the world once you die. While the Impossible Difficulty datapack does not feature the hardcore mechanic, it adds all kinds of other dangers that you cannot even imagine.

Here are more details about the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft.

Features and download guide for Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft

What does the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft offer?

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When you enter a Minecraft vanilla world, you start by punching a tree to get some wood and create a crafting table to make basic tools. However, in the Impossible Difficult datapack for Minecraft, you will not even be able to punch a tree without danger.

When you try to punch a tree, the entire tree will explode and kill you instantly. If you manage to get wood and create a crafting table, the block will terrifyingly convert into a killing machine, with a bazooka and two cutting discs. If you finally defeat all the hostile mobs in a structure and open chests to loot, a custom shulker mob will appear from it and kill you with a laser gun.

Villages will not be safe as well, as villagers will turn into masked serial killers, running towards you with chainsaws. Creepers can randomly multiply all around you, trapping you in a massive explosion, furnace block will become a flamethrower while smelting items, and much more.

In various other bizarre and hilarious ways, the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft makes the game almost unplayable. Despite all this, the unique ways in which the modder has increased the game’s difficulty are worth checking out at least once.

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Below are some of the settings you can change using commands. Make sure to go into creative mode in order to use these commands:

  • /trigger difficulty set <1-3>
  • /trigger dragon_difficulty set <1-3>
  • /trigger toggle_armor_slowdown
  • /trigger toggle_chest
  • /trigger toggle_endermen
  • /trigger toggle_flashbang
  • /trigger count_features

How to download and install the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft?

Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)
Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)

Here is a guide to download and install the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft:

  1. Make sure you have Minecraft 1.21.1 installed from the official launcher. You can do so by going into Java Edition’s “Installations” tab, create new installation, and selecting 1.21.1.
  2. Download both the Impossible Difficulty Resourcepack and Datapack. As of now, it is only compatible with 1.21.1. The modder might create updated versions in the future.
  3. Once downloaded, open the Minecraft directory, which should be here for every player: C:\Users\{your username}\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft.
  4. In this folder, find or create “datapacks” and “resourcepacks” folders, and transfer Impossible Difficulty files to both.
  5. Open the Minecraft launcher again and open the 1.21.1 game version. Create a new world, and start enjoying the extra difficulty.

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