It was an electric day at the Etihad Stadium, as Liverpool and Manchester City battled for first place in the Premier League. After 90 thrilling minutes and four goals, the Premier League standings were unchanged. Manchester City kept their one-point lead over Liverpool atop the table after a 2-2 draw. The title race will march on with both teams needing to remain close to perfect in the final seven games to capture the trophy.
The fullbacks played a major part in the game with Trent-Alexander Arnold and Joao Cancelo both registering assists, but it was Kevin de Bruyne whose star was brightest. The Manchester City midfielder came out of the gate ready to go, scoring City's opener only five minutes into the match. After Raheem Sterling couldn't make his chance count, de Bruyne needed help from the post but his finish flew true.
While Liverpool were reeling in the early going, it only took one mistake from City for Diogo Jota to strike back. The fullbacks had space and Andrew Robertson found Alexander-Arnold who lifted a nice ball to Jota, who has truly become a fox in the box for Liverpool this season, for the early equalizer.
Liverpool thought they had another chance as Jota pressed Ederson on a goal kick as he put himself under pressure. Ederson went to kick the ball long but ended up missing his kick for it almost rolling in for an own goal. Ederson is good for almost one nervy moment per match but on Sunday he had two, but Liverpool couldn't take advantage of either.
City wouldn't be behind long, though, as Gabriel Jesus fired in an excellent first-time finish from Cancelo's pass. Jesus loves playing Liverpool and made his finish count, giving his team the lead heading into halftime.
At the half, Jurgen Klopp had to deliver an excellent team talk as in the 46th minute the age-old connection of Mohamed Salah to Sadio Mane led to Liverpool getting their equalizer and the final goal of the game.
Raheem Sterling appeared to give City the lead again in the 63rd minute but was ruled offsides by VAR. Once Sterling was withdrawn in the 75th minute for Riyad Mahrez, City were able to create a few more chances but Liverpool held strong to secure the draw. Despite City having 11 shots to Liverpool's six, the xG was almost even, with City at 1.11 and Liverpool at 1.22. there wasn't much to separate the two sides.
You'd want Sterling to take his chances better against his former club but as a volume shooter, he's good for matches like this every once in a while. Outside of his chance that was ruled out for a tight offside, his shots were in positions that Liverpool would be favored from.
Credit must be given to the City defense for mostly containing Liverpool's attack as Rodri had another excellent game at the center of the park.
It has become a hallmark of watching City play that they'll grasp control of the game with their midfielders forcing pressure into areas where it can easily be handled and that was a similar situation Sunday. Rodri and Bernardo Silva took up deeper positions than normal sitting level with Kyle Walker for most of the match as Cancelo was tasked with the job of transitioning defense into attack.
It's one of those minor Guardiola tweaks that ensures that his team is in the best position possible and he was able to do that as his front four was giving Liverpool all that they could handle and then some. To counter, Klopp had to pull Mane deep to assist in defense but he was still able to get forward to score the equalizer, showing his skill in every facet of the game.
It was a draw befitting of the two best teams in the league as minor details were the difference. The draw gives Manchester City 74 points to Liverpool's 73 in the Premier League, and the two sides will meet again in the FA Cup semifinals on Saturday.
Played through by de Bruyne, Mahrez went for the chip and fired it over the bar for the final 2-2 result. What a match!
Following a foul from van Dijk, Mahrez was able to curl his free kick in to hit the outside of the post but it couldn't test Alisson for a save.
The goalscorer has put in a good shift but he will be replaced by Roberto Firmino as Liverpool look to get a late winner in this match.
Almost setting up de Bruyne, Mahrez could be key to unlocking Liverpool's defense that has improved in a big way during the second half.
Sterling has but in a good shift but hasn't been clinical enough with his chances so as the game gets tighter, Pep Guardiola brings in a member of his finishing crew.
It needed a deflection to go wide but Liverpool won't get a corner as the referee missed the ball going off of Laporte. City created a chance from their ensuing goal kick but in a game this tight, we may wonder what could've been.
Luis Diaz is getting stripped off. There's no sign of an activity on the City bench whilst the Colombian will be coming on for Jota any minute now.
It's Raheem Sterling again as City had the ball in the back of the net but Sterling was just off from de Bruyne's perfectly weighted through ball. Another close call for Liverpool.
Talk about turning the tables as City has still led possession but Liverpool has had two shots bot on target at the beginning of the second period. The midfield has been more present and this time it will be Guardiola who will need to adjust sooner than later.
That's the question he'll be asking himself and certainly a fair few are asking on Twitter. They possibly have a point but I think to frame this as an error on his part takes away from what an outstanding pass it was from Salah, skittering off the surface to unleash Mane.
Who else but Mohamed Salah splitting the defense to play Mane in for a good finish. We're in for a fun ride in this one.
What a game this is turning out to be. City are as good as they have been in months, rising to the occasion with an assertive display with and without the ball in which they are punishing Liverpool for that high line of theirs. The visitors haven't hit the standards they would set for themselves but even bearing that in mind they have created several good chances and asked a lot of Laporte, who delivered the half's outstanding individual moment with a slide tackle in the box just before the break. More of that please!
Sterling was just sliding to the ground trying to get to the cross in the box from Phil Foden. No player has been in more dangerous areas than Sterling in the first half and if things don't change, he'll add another goal to City's advantage.
City has been knocking but the first time finish on Cancelo's pass was something special on the goal.
Moments after nearly running the ball over his own line without a care in the world Ederson is down on his knees to block an Alexander-Arnold shot with his chest... and somehow that does not feel like the most mad sentence this game has given us. Players like Fabinho seem to be crippled by the pressure of this game so far. Ederson gives every impression he is playing down the park with his mates.
Cancelo got into space finding the Belgian but de Bruyne was unable to put it on target. He won't miss those too often if Liverpool keeps allowing him to get the ball in the box. Although, stopping de Bruyne is easier said than done.
Looking to kick from his own goal line, Ederson almost walked the ball into his own net. Hopefully, it doesn't rear its head again later.
The switches to wide areas are allowing space for each team but for the most part, the defenses have been ready. City has had more of the ball but not to a point where Liverpool will be too concerned yet. The defensive shape from the Blues is giving Liverpool struggles in build up play from deep but they've taken their chances when they make it into the final third.
Finally after 20 minutes these two teams seem to be breathing, although this game's version of a quiet few minutes involves City probing around the Liverpool box. Certainly here in the press box there is a sense of disbelief at what we are witnessing. We knew this game would be good and somehow it has exceeded the hype.
Bouncing the ball around well, Robertson played in Alexander-Arnold who deftly found Jota for a cool finish.
Van Dijk is urging his team mates to calm down, they have certainly looked a bit rocked after that early goal, not least him allowing Jesus around him to nearly poke the ball away from Alisson. This game is being played at a 100 miles per hour, even as you look down to type a few words you'll discover the ball has flown in one direction or another. Ederson's attempted clearing header looks assertive but it's actually Thiago who steals it first. Though nothing comes of it that's a reminder that this occasion can get to both teams.
A miscommunication between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson almost leads to a penalty as Gabriel Jesus was caught in the clatter. It's uncharacteristic sloppiness from Liverpool but the Etihad is rocking in the early going.
He needed help from the post but what a hit! That makes up for Raheem Sterling not being able to take his chance which was saved by Alisson but de Bruyne is in good form to start the game. City already lulled Liverpool to sleep and immediately struck but you'd expect a response from the Reds.
We're up and running at the Etihad, where Liverpool are pressing plenty early doors, forcing the hosts to try to work their way out of their own box.
The Etihad isn't always the liveliest of grounds but the home fans are making quite the atmosphere today, chants of "City, City" echoing around ahead of kick off and then comes a fantastic Blue Moon with hundreds of blue and white scarfs swinging around the ground. What a way to start this off!
Only five minutes remain before the fixture of the weekend begins!
