April 13, 2014 -- Updated 1602 GMT (0002 HKT)
(CNN) -- Liverpool closed on a first English title since 1990 with a thrilling 3-2 win over Manchester City in an emotion charged atmosphere at Anfield Sunday as the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster was marked before kick off.
The victory took Liverpool five points clear of Chelsea, who were playing later at Swansea, and seven in front of third-placed City, who have two games in hand.
Philippe Coutinho scored the winner with a 78th-minute snap shot after the visitors had come back from two goals down and threatened to grab the three points.
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His goal came after a mistake by Belgian international Vincent Kompany, whose sliced clearance fell straight to the midfielder.
Liverpool held on to the lead despite having Jordan Henderson sent on in injury time for a rash challenge on Samir Nasri
Their captain Steven Gerrard had tears in his eyes as he gathered his team in a huddle at the final whistle and admitted that City had proved a formidable hurdle in the title run-in.
"That's the longest 90 minutes I've probably ever played in. I felt like the clock was going backwards in some points of the game," he told Sky Sports.
"But this is a big result for us. We have four cup finals left," he added.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini rued their missed opportunities after such a strong comeback.
"We had clear chances to score in the last 15 minutes but we made a mistake and they won the game.
"They started very well and scored two goals. It's easier when you are playing at home and go two goals in front -- it's more easy to play with calm," he added.
Liverpool, who were claiming a 10th straight EPL win, started with confidence and in free-scoring mood, with youngster Raheem Sterling and Martin Skrtel grabbing first half goals.
City came back into it after the break with David Silva and a Glen Johnson own goal leaving the home fans fearing the worse until Coutinho's late intervention.
The match started seven minutes late in honor of the 96 Liverpool fans who died before an FA Cup semifinal match against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in 1989.
All matches in the English football program this weekend had similar tributes and a memorial service will be held at Anfield Tuesday, exactly 25 years since the tragedy.
Earlier this month a new inquest into the deaths started after the original verdicts delivered by a coroner were quashed by the High Court in December 2012 amid claims of malpractice by police on duty that day.
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