Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty kick cancelled out John Stones’ opener as Liverpool drew 1-1 with Manchester City
Liverpool’s modern-day rivalry with Manchester City has been brewing since Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola took the reins at their respective clubs.
Their style of football and incredible point tallies over the past seven years has created one of the highest quality football matches in history.
And on Sunday, it was the final time the two sides would meet in the Premier League with Klopp as Liverpool manager. In typical fashion, both sides are bidding to lift the title, with Arsenal in the mix as well.
Unfortunately, the Liverpool manager would be without several key players once again as Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Thiago, Stefan Bajcetic, Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota were all still absent from the clash with City.
Mohamed Salah was also deemed not fit enough to start, but was on the bench for the Reds.
Four academy graduates started for Liverpool: Caoimhin Kelleher (GK), Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah and Harvey Elliott.
After a rocky start to the match, it was the visitors who took the lead in the 23rd minute through a well-worked set piece routine. Kevin De Bruyne delivered a fantastic corner into the near post where defender John Stones was there to poke home the opener.
Liverpool were not short of chances in the first half, with Darwin Nunez squaring the ball for Luis Diaz to tap home. Unluckily for Nunez, the linesman’s flag was immediately raised for an offside against the Uruguayan.
Reds midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai came close to a leveller at the end of the first 45 minutes as his long range free kick effort almost creeped into the bottom far corner.
Early on in the second half, Nathan Ake had a pass back to Ederson intercepted by Nunez, to which the Manchester City goalkeeper felt had no choice but to take him down inside the box. A reckless decision and a stonewall penalty.
Alexis Mac Allister stepped up and equalised with a fantastic penalty kick. Liverpool were level on 50 minutes, and had a remaining 40 minutes plus injury time to find a winner.
Shortly after, Ederson had to be substituted for Stefan Ortega as the Brazilian goalkeeper went off with an injury that will keep him on the sidelines for up to four weeks.
From then on, it was all Liverpool. Attack after attack, with Manchester City barely sniffing Liverpool’s penalty box. That said, on the occasion Kelleher was called upon in the second half he certainly stepped up. Key saves from Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku kept the scoreline at 1-1.
It’ll be Klopp feeling more disappointed with the result at the end of the match, especially with Liverpool’s late penalty shout in the 90+9th minute. Doku clattered into Mac Allister with a high boot, bringing the Argentinian down in the box.
It was unclear how much VAR intervened/checked the challenge for those in the stadium or at home but it didn’t look like a long check at all.
When it comes to these kinds of challenges and decisions, sometimes you win them, sometimes you lose them. Three points would have been a phenomenal result to get against the reigning champions, but it wasn’t to be.
Both sides settled for a draw in a very intense and draining clash. Liverpool could have, perhaps should have won it in the end.
There has to be a special shout to Wataru Endo, Liverpool’s 31-year-old defensive midfielder signed last summer. He absolutely ran the midfield on Sunday.
Liverpool don’t play again in the Premier League until Easter Sunday (31 March) when they host Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on the same day Manchester City host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
Up next for the Reds is the Europa League, where they hold a healthy 5-1 advantage over Sparta Prague as they welcome the Czech side to Anfield for the second leg of their round of 16 tie.
Kick-off for that game is at 8pm on Thursday, 14 March.
Liverpool team: Kelleher, Bradley (Robertson 61), Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez, Szoboszlai (Salah 61), Endo, Mac Allister, Elliott, Nunez (Gakpo 76), Diaz.
Manchester City team: Ederson (Ortega 56), Walker, Akanji, Ake, Rodri, Stones, Foden, Silva, De Bruyne (Kovacic 69), Alvarez (Doku 69), Haaland.
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