Liverpool and Manchester City played out an enthralling 1-1 draw at Anfield on Sunday that means Arsenal remain top of the Premier League.
John Stones’ early opener was cancelled out by Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty at the start of the second half and both teams had their chances to take initiative in the title race but Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, in potentially their last battle in the Premier League, had to settle for a point.
Here are the five things we learned from a dramatic outing at Anfield.
Arsenal profit from thrilling draw
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola’s potentially final game in the Premier League was a chaotic one. There was admiration between the pair at the final whistle after both their sides once again delivered a stellar game of football.
The game could have gone either way, but the draw was the perfect result for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta’s side who now sit top of the Premier League on goal difference. You feel like Liverpool needed to win the game to take initiative in the title race but following the draw, the title is now very much in Arsenal’s hands with 10 games to go.
Embed from Getty ImagesArsenal still have to play Manchester City at the Etihad at the end of the month so having said all that, a lot could change.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola’s potentially final game in the Premier League was a chaotic one. There was admiration between the pair at the final whistle after both their sides once again delivered a stellar game of football.
VAR drama at the death
This blockbuster game could not have happened without VAR drama and it came right at the death in the 99th minute when Jeremy Doku’s high boot caught Alexis Mac Allister in the chest inside the box.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe protests from Liverpool were not overly zealous, but the replay’s showed that Liverpool had a case. VAR’s check was a quick one and Liverpool were denied a second penalty of the game to steal all three points. How crucial could that prove to be come the end of the season?
City’s moment of madness led to Liverpool’s dominance
The start of the second half revealed an uncharacteristic moment for Manchester City. In control of possession and 1-0 to the good, Nathan Ake’s lacklustre back pass to Ederson allowed Darwin Nunez to nip in ahead of Ederson and force the penalty.
Alexis Mac Allister hammered home the equaliser and then Ederson was forced off after picking up a knock after fouling Nunez. From there, City, a team so associated with composure in big games, wilted under the pressure from a raucous Anfield.
Embed from Getty ImagesThey struggled to keep the ball and surrendered possession so easily as Luis Diaz passed up two glorious chances to put Liverpool ahead. De Bruyne’s withdrawal past the hour mark highlighted Liverpool’s dominance as Guardiola looked to shore up the midfield.
De Bruyne’s class shines through again
Liverpool and Manchester City’s title clashes and matches have so often been decided by the finest of margins. The first half overall was evenly balanced, and the game needed a spark of quality to bring about the opening goal.
Up step Kevin De Bruyne, who outfoxed the Liverpool defence with a quite brilliant delivery from the corner to put City ahead. Managers and coaches around the world will certainly have been taking notes looking at this one.
Embed from Getty ImagesDe Bruyne whipped in the corner in front of a crowded penalty area, and Ake essentially blocked off Mac Allister at the near post. That allowed John Stones to move into the vacated space and prod home the opener.
Week in week out, De Bruyne continues to show why he is being touted as one of the greatest midfielders the Premier League has ever seen.
Big name exclusions
For all the star-studded talent on display, both Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola made some noticeable omissions from their starting lineups- whether it was forced or by choice.
As expected, Ibrahima Konate was not in Liverpool’s matchday squad this afternoon following the injury he picked up during the midweek Europa League win over Sparta Prague, but the big news was that Mohamed Salah started on the bench. Klopp said regarding the Egyptians’ exclusion; “I wouldn’t have even thought about him starting the game.”
Ruben Dias’ absence from the starting lineup also raised a few eyebrows, particularly given he has been a pivotal figure for City all season and in games against Liverpool in the past.
