Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City
Liverpool and Manchester City played out an action-packed draw at Anfield on Sunday in the Premier League match of the season.
Four goals in a blistering second half, scored by four of the league’s finest players made for the best entertainment we’ve seen so far in the 2021/22 campaign. In this battle for top spot City dominated the first half but failed to break through and Sadio Mane gave Liverpool a lead early in the second half before Phil Foden equalised. The Sky Blues pushed for a winner but Mo Salah scored a brilliant individual goal before Kevin de Bruyne hit back for City again.
The latest Premier League 2021 betting odds installed Manchester City as clear favourites and this result won’t have changed anything as the other Premier League 2021 results this weekend saw Chelsea win to go top while Manchester United drew with Everton.
Highlights of the game
Manchester City were unchanged from the team which beat Chelsea 0-1 while James Milner started at right-back for Liverpool in place of the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold. And the two settled teams spent the opening 20 minutes feeling each other out. In the early stages the Sky Blues were content to let Liverpool have the ball, but they carved out the first real opening when Bernardo Silva went on a brilliant run, beating four defenders, before sliding the ball through to Phil Foden who’s first touch took him wider and Alisson saved.
The Sky Blues got behind the Reds defence again moments later when Joao Cancelo put Kevin de Bruyne through, but his low cross had too much pace on it for Gabriel Jesus to get the vital touch. And City thought they had a penalty when Milner clipped Foden’s heels but the referee was unmoved, as was VAR. Then de Bruyne had a glorious chance to score with a free header which he connected with cleanly, but he got too much on it and the ball flew over the bar.
City continued to boss the game and there was some pinball in the Liverpool penalty area after de Bruyne had a shot charged down, and Alisson made a great stop to thwart Foden just before the break.
Pep Guardiola must have been disappointed to go into half time without a clear lead, and when you’re on top you need to score or…it can come back to haunt you. And so it did. Liverpool had hung on for a half and then, on the hour, they were ahead. Sadio Mane, who’s hit his top form again this season, took a pass from Mo Salah and beat Ederson for his 99th Premier League goal.
Could City respond? Of course they could! And it was Foden who bagged the equaliser, taking a ball from Jesus on the overlap and firing a low hard cross-shot past Alisson and into the bottom right corner. City were in the ascendancy again and Milner was very lucky to stay on the pitch when, already on a yellow, he upended Silva.
Guardiola was furious and he was still incensed when Salah scored his brilliant individual goal, weaving his way onto the box and hammering his shot past Ederson. Milner was involved in the build up and to rub salt into the wound he was then taken off straight after the goal.
City came back again and de Bruyne, who hadn’t had his best game got his goal with a shot from the edge of the area to make it 2-2.
Breathless!
Key statistics
On the back of a Champions League defeat to Paris St-Germain where City played well and lost, they probably deserved to win this game but will be pleased to have fought back from behind twice.
The Sky Blues conceded a goal for the first time in six league games but they doubled their total of away goals, while Liverpool remain the only team unbeaten.
Liverpool finish the weekend in second place while the Sky Blues are third.
What’s next?
Well folks, we’re heading for an international break and here at SBOTOP we’ll be picking out the best games to look out for over the next week, with previews, tips and a great range of Asian Handicap betting odds.
Then, after the break, Liverpool are back in action in North London where they take on Watford. The Hornets won promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt last May and they have made a steady start back in the top flight, picking up seven points without really playing well. But the club, famed for its instability and short- term strategy has remarkably sacked manager Xisco Munoz after just ten months in charge.
Their fans must wonder what’s happening and if the club is determined to make a quick return to the Championship!
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s side return home to welcome Burnley in their next league game. The Clarets have made their customary slow start and are yet to register a win, but boss Sean Dyche, who has just completed 400 games in charge at Turf Moor has just signed a four-year contract extension.
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