Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool
Manchester City stay top of the Premier League table after sharing the spoils with second placed Liverpool in a pulsating clash at a packed Etihad Stadium.
In a breathless start to the game Kevin De Bruyne gave the hosts a lead with a long range effort and Diogo Jota finished off a superb Liverpool move to level. Gabriel Jesus restored City’s advantage before the break and Sadio Mane replied seconds after it. And despite the Sky Blues’ dominance that was the end of the scoring and it’s ‘as you were’ for the North West giants
It was one of the most anticipated Premier League 2022 results of the campaign no doubt, and while both teams wanted a win, neither will feel they have lost momentum as the season speeds towards a thrilling climax.
Highlights of the game
When Liverpool and City met at Anfield in October they slugged it out in a 2-2 finish with all four goals rattling in during an electric 45 second half minutes. Well we didn’t have to wait so long in this game as the two best teams in England traded blow for blow and we were at 1-1 within a quarter of an hour.
Allison had already made a stunning save to deny Raheem Sterling when De Bruyne opened the scoring on six minutes. The Belgian midfield ace drove forward and unleashed a shot from 25 yards which took a deflection off Joel Matip before bouncing into the corner of the net off the foot of the post. It wasn’t a De Bruyne screamer but it was just the start that Pep Guardiola was hoping for.
But the lead lasted just seven minutes and it was Liverpool’s superb wing-backs combining to make the chance. Andrew Robertson stood a ball up to the right side of the penalty area and Trent Alexander-Arnold fired in the perfect ball for Jota to hammer home and it was Jurgen Klopp’s turn to celebrate.
De Bruyne almost restored City’s lead, on the half hour, when he took a ball from Joao Cancelo, turned and fired a shot just wide of the left hand post. But the Sky Blues’ lead was restored when Gabriel Jesus timed his run perfectly to meet Cancelo’s cross and lift the ball over Allison and into the net to give the Sky Blues a deserved half time lead.
But the lead lasted just 46 seconds after the break when Liverpool hit back in ruthless fashion. Mo Salah spotted the run of Mane and he delivered a perfect ball for the Senegalese striker who curled his shot into the top corner.
Soon City were in the ascendancy again; Jesus almost scored his second but Virgil van Dijk made a desperate goal-line clearance to keep the scores level, and then Raheem Sterling though he’d slid home the third after latching on to a through ball from De Bruyne, but VAR adjudged him to be inches offside.
City continued to push for a winner and Van Dijk became the fourth Liverpool player to pick up a yellow card for a professional foul on 89 minutes when he clipped De Bruyne in full flight. Mahrez took the free-kick which curled beyond Allison’s reach but ricocheted away off the post.
Key statistics
The Premier League 2022 betting odds have backed the Sky Blues for the whole season and nothing has changed tonight. The hosts dominated possession and the shot count by 11 to six, but Liverpool have extended their undefeated run to ten games away from home, while the Sky Blues are unbeaten in eight.
What’s next?
Manchester City’s next league game is at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday 20th April, but before that the Sky Blues have another two huge games in their quest for the treble. They go to Madrid to face Atletico in the Champions League quarter final second leg, with a one goal lead in the bag.
Then, next Saturday, the City vs Liverpool hostilities continue in the FA Cup; and that’s one of four titles the Reds are chasing. Keep it here at SBOTOP where we’ll be previewing and reporting on the Cup. Liverpool have the Carabao Cup already in the trophy cabinet and a 3-1 advantage over Benfica in the Champions League, with the second leg to come at Anfield on Wednesday. Then, after the FA Cup clash with City, Klopp’s men have another huge Premier League clash when they host their fiercest rivals, Manchester United, on Tuesday 19th.
It’s a great time to be a footy fan in the North West of England!
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