Liverpool fought back to draw 1-1 with Manchester City in an enthralling game at Anfield that leaves the Premier League title race finely poised.
A cleverly worked corner taken by Kevin De Bruyne allowed John Stones to force the ball home after 23 minutes but the home team fought back in the second half, with Ederson rushing out of his goal to foul Darwin Nunez in the first attack after the restart.
Alexis Mac Allister coolly slotted home the penalty to share the points, with Ederson having to go off with an injury.
The result leaves Arsenal top of the table, level on 64 points with Liverpool but ahead on goal difference, with City a point further back. There are 10 matches left to play.
Sam Lee, Phil Buckingham and Mark Carey break down the big talking points of the game.
City’s smart set piece
City have been known for their aerial dominance in recent seasons with their tall, powerful spine running through the team. For that reason, it is unsurprising that set pieces have been a key weapon in their pursuit of every trophy they have competed in.
Rather than a powerful, thumping header, Stones’s opener was an exquisite near-post strike that fooled every Liverpool player — with a wicked ball fizzed low into the six-yard box from De Bruyne’s corner.
There was so much to admire in such a simple routine. The execution from De Bruyne to drive such a pinpoint cross was in “hang it in the Louvre” territory. Nathan Ake’s intelligence to drag Mac Allister away from the near post to clear the space for Stones to run into. The timing of Stones’ run and his delicate firing of the ball past a bamboozled Caoimhin Kelleher.
Choreographed routines are more popular than ever in the modern game, and this one was executed to perfection. With Pep Guardiola immediately pointing in the direction of set-piece analyst Jack Wilson and coach Carlos Vicens as soon as the ball found the back of the net, you can be sure that this was straight from the training ground.
Mark Carey
Liverpool’s green team
If this game has become the Premier League’s biggest in the modern era, there was scant experience of it in the Liverpool starting line-up.
Five of the players picked by Jurgen Klopp (Kelleher, Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, Wataru Endo and Luis Diaz) had never started this fixture before, while Dominik Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Darwin Nunez all only had one start apiece.
Manchester City, by contrast, could turn to countless veterans of facing Liverpool when stakes were at the highest. Guardiola’s side had collectively been through the unique pressures of this contest time and again.
The Reds to take on Manchester City 👊🔴#LIVMCI
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 10, 2024
Not that it was always obvious. Liverpool’s green team, especially the youngsters in the rearguard like Bradley and Quansah, played with a fearlessness in the insulation of Anfield. City, in fact, were the team that appeared rattled at times.
It was telling that Klopp’s first changes were to introduce Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah, yet the response to a trying opening was made all the more impressive by the lack of experience.
Phil Buckingham
City changes needed to happen
Both of City’s substitutions were obvious but in different ways. Julian Alvarez had struggled throughout, and as Liverpool cranked up the pressure after the equaliser, it was Alvarez who lost the ball cheaply twice to allow the hosts to break and set in Diaz for his two big chances.
Guardiola’s dilemma would have been who to replace him with, given Jack Grealish’s injury, but Jeremy Doku, despite some poor recent form, obviously does offer a lot of threat and, simply, Alvarez had to come off. And then De Bruyne. Two seasons ago he was having a quiet game at Anfield but it felt like Guardiola kept him on for his potential to do something magical. He eventually scored a (deflected) equaliser in a fine 2-2 game, and you could make the same argument for him today.
But, in truth, he was barely getting the ball by the time he was taken off and, when he did get it, he was losing a duel or giving it away. A few moments before he was withdrawn, he was brushed off the ball by Endo as City tried to manufacture a transition in the face of the Liverpool onslaught. Mateo Kovacic is the type of player to knit some passes together in midfield and that was exactly what City needed at the time.
Sam Lee
Ederson’s chaotic charge
There are many things that leave you in awe when you watch professional football.
We pay for our tickets — or turn on our TV — because the 22 players on the pitch can perform actions with the ball that many of us could not dream of.
Yet somehow, there are jarring moments that would not look out of place on a muddy Sunday League pitch. Granted, the pace of the game is absurdly fast at the highest level, but Ederson’s decision to sprint away from his goal and plant an almighty whack on the onrushing Darwin Nunez felt… naive, if we’re being kind.
There must be something that we mere mortals are not quite able to grasp, but it seems to be a frequent sight in the modern game, where goalkeepers will rush out to close down strikers who cleverly nick the ball away from goal — and invariably bring them down with their hands or feet.
Edersen fouls Nunez (PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
As The Athletic have previously analysed, the punishment very rarely matches the crime when it comes to penalties, with a reward that is overly generous in favour of the attacking team. This certainly felt like one of those occasions.
Nunez was clever to pounce on a Nathan Ake backpass, but the Uruguayan was nowhere near goal when he nicked the ball away from Ederson. If he had got the ball under control, the odds were still against him to score in the next few seconds.
Instead, Ederson’s challenge led to Liverpool’s equaliser and was the catalyst for Anfield to find their voice again. It was a challenge that will always come without justification.
Mark Carey
Diaz fluffs his lines
When Liverpool were able to find their greatest encouragement, the point when Manchester City were wobbling midway through the second half, Luiz Diaz’s failings in front of goal were to be the greatest source of regret.
Three times in the space of 10 minutes the forward found space in or close to the City penalty area and on each occasion he fluffed his moment.
Sloppy touches allowed two of the openings to pass Diaz by, sandwiching his best opportunity from Salah’s threaded pass. Diaz was clean through on goal but his attempt to find a controlled finish ended with a wayward effort high and wide of substitute keeper Stefan Ortega’s goal.
9 – Alexis Mac Allister has scored nine of his 10 penalties in the Premier League, including each of the last eight in a row. Meanwhile, after saving the first two penalties taken against him, Ederson has only kept out one of the last 22 he’s faced in the competition. Cool. pic.twitter.com/c9Qp5X5n4z
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 10, 2024
Another chance like that did not come again for Liverpool and Diaz’s wastefulness was all that could detract from a splendid performance from the Colombian.
One run down the Liverpool left, ending with a corner won, had Anfield on its feet as both Rodri and Kyle Walker were tormented by Diaz’s close control and persistence. So nearly an outstanding performance.
Phil Buckingham
Klopp aggrieved at penalty denial
Jeremy Doku had his right foot high and his heart in his mouth deep into stoppage time. Manchester City were defending a late corner when Doku’s attempts to clear saw him collide with Mac Allister in the penalty box.
Referee Michael Oliver was not convinced of a foul and nor was Stuart Attwell, VAR on the day. Doku’s challenge was reckless with a follow through seeing his boot hit Mac Allister’s chest but the officials were seemingly convinced that City’s winger had touched the ball just before his opponent.
The Doku and Mac Allister incident (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was aggrieved, believing his side had been denied a clear penalty and a chance to win the game.
Phil Buckingham
What does this all mean?
Given how that game went, City’s general history at Anfield and Liverpool’s tendency to just score when they need to, City will be delighted with that draw.
They were in a position to do much better early on, and they could have even squeaked a late winner with a couple of forays forward after they settled down following Guardiola’s substitutions, but given the storm they found themselves in after handing Liverpool an equaliser, they should be over the moon that the seemingly inevitable Liverpool winner did not come. There are 30 more points to play for, anyway!
Sam Lee
Not a bad point by any stretch of Liverpool’s imagination but the second half, including Mac Allister’s equaliser, ought to have ended with greater reward. Liverpool were tremendous after the break, causing City problems that few manage to do.
No damage was done in Liverpool’s title challenge but they will know a one-point advantage over the title holders could really have been four.
Phil Buckingham
What next for Liverpool?
Thursday, March 14: Sparta Prague (H), Europa League last-16 second leg, 8pm GMT, 3pm ET
What next for Manchester City?
Saturday, March 16: Newcastle United (H), FA Cup quarter-final, 5.30pm GMT, 12.30pm ET
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(Top photos: Getty Images)
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