Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City - Reds roar back against City as spoils shared in title showdown
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Updated 10/03/2024 at 18:23 GMT
Alexis Mac Allister’s second-half penalty secured Liverpool a 1-1 draw against Manchester City at Anfield in the Premier League that leaves the title race wide open. The result means Arsenal remain top of the table. They – like Liverpool – are on 64 points but have a superior goal difference. City are a point further back. All three teams have played 28 games.
Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the first Liverpool goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City at Anfield on March 10, 2024 in Liverpool, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
Liverpool came from behind to draw 1-1 with Manchester City, but were left with a feeling of what could have been after missing a hatful of chances in a huge game in the Premier League title race.
The visitors took the lead on 23 minutes through an unlikely source as John Stones rounded off a clever corner routine, tapping home from Kevin De Bruyne’s delivery.
Dominik Szoboszlai should have done better with a close range header that sailed off, while Luis Diaz dragged a low effort narrowly wide from 20 yards, as the Reds failed to find an equaliser before the break.
It took only five minutes after half-time to make it 1-1 though, with Alexis Mac Allister converting from the penalty spot after a foul by Ederson on Darwin Nunez.
That led to Liverpool piling on the pressure, and they had chance after chance to take the lead, with Diaz in particular guilty of wasting some huge opportunities, while Stefan Ortega, on in goal for the injured Ederson, denied Nunez.
There was still time for Jeremy Doku to hit the post at the other end, as both teams had to settle for a point - which leaves Arsenal top of the table on goal difference with 10 games remaining.
TALKING POINT - Title race takes another turn
There was never any doubt that this match was going to be huge in deciding the destination of the Premier League title in May, and quite how important this result is will be played out in due course.
Arsenal will be the happier of the three teams fighting it out for top spot, as the draw means they stay top of the table, ahead of playing City in three weeks.
Liverpool, though, may feel like this is a missed opportunity. They had the opponents on the ropes and forced 19 shots across the game, six of which were on target. If Diaz, in particular, had been better in front of goal, they would have won, and been clear at the top.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Virgil van Dijk
The defender has not been without his critics at times this season, but he put in a huge performance for his side this afternoon.
Up against Erling Haaland, you would expect the Liverpool captain to be in for a tough afternoon, but he barely afforded the Manchester City striker a touch.
Even when he did get through on goal, van Dijk marshalled him wide, while the defender also made numerous important tackles, interceptions and blocks to rescue his team.
PLAYER RATINGS
LIVERPOOL: Kelleher 7; Bradley 7, Quansah 7, van Dijk 9, Gomez 8; Szoboszlai 6, Endo 7, Mac Allister 7; Elliott 6, Nunez 6, Diaz 6. Subs: Robertson 7, Salah 6, Gakpo 6
MANCHESTER CITY: Ederson 6; Walker 7, Akanji 8, Ake 6; Rodri 7, Stones 7; Foden 6, Silva 6, De Bruyne 6, Alvarez 6; Haaland 6. Subs: Ortega 7, Kovacic 6, Doku 7
KEY MOMENTS
23’ GOAL! LIVERPOOL 0-1 MANCHESTER CITY (John Stones). There's the opener, and few would have predicted who would get it! A very, very clever corner routine from Manchester City, as Kevin De Bruyne plays a low corner in to the near post, from where John Stones taps into the back of the net
32’ SZOBOSZLAI HEADS OVER. That is Liverpool's best chance of the game so far. A delightful ball in towards the penalty spot from Elliott, picking out Szoboszlai, who is unmarked and just has to hit the target, but heads over the bar
50’ GOAL! LIVERPOOL 1-1 MANCHESTER CITY (Alexis Mac Allister). A horrendous moment for the visitors, as they concede a penalty when an awful back pass from Ake lacks the pace required, so Nunez nips in ahead of Ederson and then gets brought down. Mac Allister takes the resulting penalty and beats the goalkeeper, who guessed the right way but cannot get a glove on it
63’ AWFUL DIAZ MISS. Wow! What a chance! Brilliant from Salah, whose first involvement is a defence-splitting pass for Diaz, who is racing through on goal, one-on-one, but he pushes his shot wide. He has to do better from there
89’ DOKU HITS THE POST! Out of nowhere, City create a chance, with Doku picked out at the back post. He squares up Gomez before shooting towards the far corner, only to hit the woodwork!
KEY STATS
- Liverpool have now rescued a league-high of 20 points from going 1-0 down
- City’s run of nine successive away victories comes to an end at a ground where they have won just once since 2003
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