Manchester City 1 Liverpool 1
Man City: Aguero (69')
Liverpool: Milner (51' pen)
Man of the Match: Joel Matip (Liverpool)
The Invincibles of the upper half were hanging on by the end. Sergio Aguero was shooting from all angles, missing a chance he would usually score. Raheem Sterling advanced on goal, ready to turn match-winner against the club he left, but Simon Mignolet tipped his shot to safety. Kevin de Bruyne struck the post.
Yet Liverpool survived, their record intact. They remain on course to become the first team in 12 years to complete a Premier League campaign undefeated against the top 10. There is something in the psyche of Jurgen Klopp’s team that means they are at their best when they can imagine themselves underdogs. They threatened a second successive league double over Manchester City, ended up with a point and could be content in the knowledge they had run themselves into the sodden ground.
So had City. For 18 minutes, this looked to be among the most damaging weeks of Pep Guardiola’s career. Instead, he emerged energised and optimistic.
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“How we fought, how we run, the spirit we showed, it’s one of the happiest days of my life as a manager,” said Guardiola, a serial winner savouring a draw, a man who lifted the Uefa Champions League twice, delighted by the determination of a group third in the Premier League.
He detects a determination in his side and, while there are shortcomings, that offers cause for encouragement.
They provided a much-needed response. City had exited the Champions League to Monaco and trailed to Liverpool. Defeat could have followed defeat. Instead they salvaged a draw, Aguero’s equaliser a reward for their efforts.
A team who could have been tired from a busy week ended the stronger. Physical exertions were allied with tactical input. Guardiola swapped Sterling with De Bruyne and the Belgian, who was moved to the right flank, supplied the cross for Aguero’s leveller.
So an exhilarating game ended in inconclusive fashion. It was coruscating and controversial, a day of decisions and reunions. Many revolved around the men who swapped clubs in 2015. Sterling claimed a penalty when James Milner slid into him as both competed for David Silva’s cross.
“It was 50-50,” Liverpool’s acting captain said. “Lucky for me it wasn’t [given].” It epitomised the unrelenting drama that the ball then reached Fernandinho, who missed an open goal from four yards.
It illustrated Milner’s impact that he went on to put Liverpool ahead, converting a spot kick with nerveless assurance after Gael Clichy caught Roberto Firmino. It was the lone penalty appeal referee Michael Oliver accepted. Sadio Mane felt aggrieved when challenged by Nicolas Otamendi.
“He could have given both sides penalties,” Klopp said.
Amid the chaos of the midfield battle, Yaya Toure may have been fortunate he was only shown a yellow card for landing his studs in Emre Can’s chest.
The returning Firmino helped make it frenetic. Liverpool played the game on their terms, City joined in the excitement.
“When two teams want to win, that happens,” Guardiola said. “When one team just wants to defend it’s different.”
There was preciously little negativity on this occasion. There were 26 shots, even if the two forward lines could be faulted because only seven were on target.
“We create more, we concede few, but we don’t win,” Guardiola said. “That’s not new.”
City could have lost, too, Adam Lallana slicing his kick in front of goal when set up by Firmino. Turning points invariably involved the Brazilian. Willy Caballero’s save from Firmino, eight minutes before Aguero struck, permitted the City comeback.
“There were a few situations where I thought we could have scored,” Klopp said. “But tomorrow we’ll be happy.”
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