Having been outplayed in the first half and lucky to escape it without Manchester City not only scoring but having well and truly put the game to bed such was their dominance and good play, Liverpool will still be disappointed that the game ended 2-2, having been up twice only for Pep Guardiola’s side to find a way to come back.
Indeed, while at full-time friends and international colleagues from the opposing sides smiled, hugged and exchanged warm words, Liverpool’s star player, Mohammed Salah, having scored one of the goals of his career to put the Reds 2-1 up, looked furious and disappointed that his team weren’t able to see the game out from two winning positions.
Indeed, while at full-time friends and international colleagues from the opposing sides smiled, hugged and exchanged warm words, Liverpool’s star player, Mohammed Salah, having scored one of the goals of his career to put the Reds 2-1 up, looked furious and disappointed that his team weren’t able to see the game out from two winning positions.
Salah’s first major contribution was on 59 minutes when he picked the ball up just inside his half after a superb round-the-corner pass from Fabinho, darting 25 yards towards the Man City area, leaving retreating defenders in his wake, then stroking a perfect pass to Sadio Mané, who’d made a perfect run across the box to latch onto the ball and decisively slot it into the back of the net.
The momentum of the game should’ve swung in Liverpool’s favour, but disappointingly for the Reds City got back into the game relatively quickly – it would’ve been interesting if desperation had got into City’s game and left Liverpool opportunities on the counterattack – and, indeed, when the equaliser came it was too easy.
On 69 minutes, Gabriel Jesus ran at the Liverpool defence – without significant challenge – and found Phil Foden in the Liverpool box, with James Milner – in for the injured Trent Alexander Arnold and who’d been given a torrid time by the City striker all game – not close enough to him and Alisson Becker caught in two minds as to whether to come out to Foden or stay on his line, choosing the latter option and as he hastily retreated giving Foden enough sight of the far corner, which he found with a well struck shot.
Then Salah decided to win the game for Liverpool. The Egyptian picked the ball up on the Liverpool right after good play from Curtis Jones thirty yards from the City goal and only had one thing on his mind, to head for the opposition goal and score. He turned City defenders inside out, leaving Bernardo Silva on his backside, before walloping the ball with his weaker right foot from the edge of the six yard area giving Ederson no chance.
Such a fantastic goal deserved to win the game and it seemed luck was on Liverpool’s side too when a clumsy tackle from Milner on Bernardo should’ve seen the Reds’ right-back earn a second yellow card, only for referee Paul Tierney to take pity on the Liverpool man – much to the fury of Guardiola, who got himself a booking for his vociferous protests – but Guardiola was soon celebrating after his side swept forward from a throw in on 81 minutes in their own half and after Liverpool failed to get the ball away it fell to Kevin de Bruyne on the edge of the area. His strike was heading for the corner, Alisson had it covered, but a deflection off the knee of Joel Matip, who got his body into an awkward position trying to keep his hands behind his back to avoid a handball penalty, carried the ball over the diving keeper into the Liverpool net.
There were chances for both teams to win the game in the last 10 minutes. A Liverpool free-kick from the right was botched by Man City’s defence and keeper and the ball fell to Fabinho three yards out with the goal gaping, only for Rodri to launch himself to incredibly block the shot. Then, Liverpool’s bete noir Raheem Sterling, on as a substitute for the ineffective Jack Grealish, found himself inside the Liverpool area but, lacking the confidence that is keeping him on the bench, he declined to strike for goal, instead turning back and though he still found Gabriel Jesus, the Brazilian striker’s shot hit Andy Robertson and the chance was gone.
Liverpool have now played their two main title rivals, Chelsea and Man City, at Anfield and not won, drawing 1-1 against Chelsea and 2-2 today. That will concern Jurgen Klopp, as will the fact that City beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge 1-0 last week and are showing it is going to take a remarkable effort to wrest the Premier League crown from them.
An international break now and when Liverpool come back, they face three away games, first at Watford – who sacked their manager Xisco Munoz today after an indifferent start to the season that has found them 14th with seven points (though it’s difficult to know what the Hornets’ board was expecting for the newly promoted side) – before games against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester United in the league.
