Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool (De Bruyne 5′, Jesus 36′ | Jota 13′, Mane 46′)
ETIHAD STADIUM — On Grand National weekend, a reminder that the Premier League’s two thoroughbreds remain locked in a title race of the highest quality.
Manchester City’s tangos with Liverpool often produce great games but rarely conclusive ones. For the second time this season they drew 2-2. And for the second time in three seasons, you could see both of these blue riband contenders winning every single one of their remaining league matches.
How else to evaluate the situation after a game laced with as much danger for the respective defences as this one? It was an exquisite quirk of the fixture calendar that Liverpool and Manchester City had both bubbled into their best form at the point at which they played each other – and the chemistry created a modern day classic.
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Mount and Werner score twice as Chelsea thrash Southampton to move on from disappointing week09 April, 2022Consistently breathtaking, it was a kaleidoscope of high intensity football between two teams playing with the malicious intent to wound the other’s title aspirations. How to chronicle the standout moments when they arrived with such frenetic frequency?
The four goals were excellent but it was the speed of thought of the protagonists on either side that impressed the most. Mo Salah’s ball for Saido Mane’s game-turning strike was a work of art. Phil Foden consolidated his status with a flying first half in which he dovetailed delightfully with Kevin De Bruyne, the man who always lights up these stages. Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered lessons in the art of launching attacking raids from full-back. Oh, and somewhere in the middle of it all Raheem Sterling had a third goal ruled off by the thinnest of offside VAR calls.
If Erik ten Hag was watching on in Amsterdam, he might be thinking twice about signing the contract Manchester United have prepared for him. These two are several levels above anyone in the Premier League and it is difficult to see them relinquishing control of the title race anytime soon.
A 4.30pm kick off gave the chance for the day to build. The hosts channelled that adrenaline far more adeptly.
Having wriggled their way out of Diego Simeone’s straitjacket in midweek, City began with the air of a team that were set on making the most of the space afforded to them by playing a team with attacking aspirations of their own.
The speed of their play was remarkable: frenzy mixed with finesse that even opponents Guardiola has labelled “a pain in the ass” were flat on their backsides after a series of sky blue blows.
Within the first five minutes City had found a series of angles that hauled Liverpool way out of their comfort zone. Gabriel Jesus, recalled by Guardiola to do just that, conjured a wonderful turn of pace to bypass Robertson only for Raheem Sterling to be denied at close quarters by Alisson.
The frustration of a raucous Etihad was not to last long as the relentlessness of the champions delivered an opening goal moments later. De Bruyne is no stranger to providing sorcery on the biggest of occasions but this time his magical left foot was aided by an almighty deflection off Joel Matip that deceived Alisson.
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In truth, it was a brief interlude of Liverpool success into a first half that showcased exactly why Guardiola’s side have set the running in the title race. Recalling Jesus and Foden ensured they were posing the lion’s share of the questions, the pair darting between the lines to deliver the most uncomfortable afternoon Virgil van Dijk and Matip have had all season.
When it arrived, City’s second goal was the kind of moment in which De Bruyne makes things look devastatingly simple. Pouncing on a partially cleared corner, he dissected Liverpool’s defence with a wonderfully arcing pass that invited Jesus to plunder a goal of exceptional quality.
Had Jesus ruined the resurrected title race? For 15 half-time minutes, the question was whether Liverpool could run through the gears to get up to speed with a contest played at break neck pace. It took them all of 50 seconds to post compelling reassurance that they could, as Mane applied a brilliant finish to Salah’s exceptional pass.
Opportunities fell to both to make a decisive dash. City put together the more complete second half display but Liverpool frequently looked more dangerous – although late substitute Riyad Mahrez’s lob sailing over kept the game, and the title race, in the balance.
They do it all again at Wembley next week. We might have caught our breath by then.
Man City player ratings
Ederson: Should have done better with Jota’s goal which was low but fairly central, and then nearly conceded daft own goal later in the first half 5/10
Kyle Walker: Strong going forward but less assured at the back, with Liverpool getting in behind more regularly as the game went on 6/10
John Stones: Solid enough but part of a defence which struggled with Liverpool’s forward runs and conceded twice 6/10
Aymeric Laporte: Like Stones, Laporte made no major mistakes but equally struggled with the forward runs of Liverpool’s front three 6/10
Joao Cancelo: Excellent going forward and assisted City’s second goal with a sweetly floated ball, but struggled with Salah in the second half 7/10
Kevin De Bruyne: A remarkable creative performance from the Belgian as he swaggered about the pitch in a roaming playmaker role and scored a well-taken opener 8/10
Rodri: A good midfield presence for City; comfortable mopping up defensively and progressing play himself, even if he had no especially notable individual moments 6/10
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Phil Foden: Found space down the left flank often and an effective runner in behind the Liverpool defence 7/10
Gabriel Jesus: Set up Sterling for a golden opportunity on four minutes that should have been converted before finishing one himself to restore City’s lead. City’s best attacker, taken off in the 82nd minute 8/10
Raheem Sterling: Should have scored in the fourth minute but nevertheless did well getting in behind and tidily finished on 63 minutes before being ruled offside. Subbed off on 75 minutes 6/10
Riyad Mahrez: Showed some creative promise with runs down the right after being subbed on and hit the post with an 89th minute free-kick. Golden chance in the third minute of additional time could have won it 6/10
Jack Grealish: An 82nd minute sub. Negligible impact 6/10
Liverpool player ratings
Alisson Becker: Good save from a Laporte effort that was ruled offside late in first half, but conceded twice 6/10
Trent Alexander-Arnold: Strong going forward as usual with a great cushioned lay off for Jota’s equaliser on 12 minutes, but he lost Cancelo and Foden repeatedly in a far-from-assured defensive performance 6/10
Joel Matip: Shaky start but grew into the game, clearing danger well and becoming a calmer presence as the game went on 6/10
Virgil Van Dijk: Van Dijk grew into the match like Matip, shepherding Liverpool’s defence well in the second half and putting in a couple of key challenges 6/10
Andy Robertson: Robertson did OK going forward but he was frequently caught out in defence and struggled to deal with City’s runs in behind 4/10
Jordan Henderson: Henderson did fairly well creatively throughout but he had no standout moments before being taken off on 77 minutes 6/10
Fabinho: Struggled to deal with City’s press and made a number of first half mistakes which gave City control, though his shakiness did ease in the second half 4/10
Thiago Alcantara: Found pockets of space from time to time but failed to have a major impact on the game besides progressing play 6/10
Mohamed Salah: After an anonymous first half, Salah set up Mane’s equaliser straight after half-time and had a good second half down the right-hand side 7/10
Diogo Jota: His well-taken equaliser helped Liverpool row back on City’s electric start, but he did little else of note before being substituted on 70 minutes. 7/10
Sadio Mane: Like Salah, Mane had a limited impact on the game in the first half – but he kicked the second half off in style with well-taken equaliser that sparked Liverpool’s resurgence in the rest of the game 7/10
Luis Diaz: Subbed on for Jota in the 70th minute but had a limited effect 6/10
Naby Keita: Entered the fray on 78 minutes. Negligible impact 6/10
Roberto Firmino: Firmino replaced Mane on 84 minutes and did nothing of note 6/10
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