As it happened: Man City 1-1 LFC

Liverpool travel down the road to Manchester City's Etihad Stadium for this afternoon's big Premier League clash.

After pushing City all the way to the title in the 2018/19 season, Liverpool roared away with last season's competition.  Although the reds may not have won the league until the summer, they had effectively wrapped up the points required back in early Spring - beating Man City into second place with an 18 point gap.

Man City did beat the reds 4-0 shortly after last season restarted and Liverpool will be keen to get over that comprehensive defeat.

The reds have had some high profile injuries so far this season, none more so than Virgil van Dijk, and Liverpool's slightly inexperienced defence won't face many stronger opponents than Man City's attack.

The result of this game is clearly not going to be decisive in the season ahead - but it does provide an opportunity for each side to take a psychological advantage for the campaign ahead.

This is how the game unfolded.

As it happened...

15:11 UK
Team news

Liverpool expect to welcome back Joel Matip and Naby Keita who are both back from injury.  Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho remain sidelined for Liverpool - two heavyweight absentees from midfield/occasional centre-defence.

Man City hope to get Gabriel Jesus back involved after his return from injury.

Man City have an excellent recent record at home against Liverpool.  11 goals scored and only 1 conceded in the last three home Premier League games.

And the reds have had recent difficulties on the road, with 3 wins and 4 defeats in the last 9 away league games.

15:19 UK
As it stands

Man City are 5 points behind Liverpool although they have played one game less. 

A win today would give City the advantage, assuming they do go on to win that game in hand.

The reds started this weekend top of the Premier League, but victories for Southampton and Spurs have pushed us down to third place.  Leicester are currently leading against Wolves which could move the reds down a further position.

Victory for Liverpool today would put the reds clear top of the league before the international break.  The reds are also trying to recover their goal difference after that 7-2 shocker against Aston Villa earlier this season.

15:35 UK
Jota and Firmino start

Much of the debate this week has been about whether Jota or Firmino will start.

Klopp's solved that problem.

They both play.

Joel Matip also returns to central defence.

Team: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Matip, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Jota, Mane, Salah, Firmino

Subs: Adrian, Milner, Keita, Jones, Shaqiri, Origi, Phillips

15:40 UK
Man City team

Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Gundogan, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Torres, Sterling, Jesus.

Subs: Steffen, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, Silva, Foden, Garcia.

16:25 UK

Teams are out.

16:31 UK
KICK OFF

Underway at the Etihad.

Come on you redmen!

16:34 UK

2' Mad start to the game.

Liverpool lively in the Man City box twice already.  Jota occupying the right hand side with Salah central.  Firmino behind.

16:42 UK
Attack attack attack

9' Liverpool's strategy hear clearly that attack is the best form of defence.

This looks more like a 4-2-4 formation than anything else.

City look like they've survived the initial surge from the reds and they're trying to take the steam out of this, building slowly from the back.  Liverpool, when in posession, are not hanging round with it too much in our own half.

16:43 UK
PENALTY

12' Kyle Walker fouls Mane in the area.

16:44 UK
GOAL!

13' Salah scores the penalty.

1-0.

16:49 UK

18' Mane trickery at Kyle Walker again.  Ball comes out to Henderson, edge of the box, but he drills wide.

16:54 UK
Mane man

22' No surprise. Sadio Mane has started very well. 

Wins the ball in midfield and starts a great Liverpool move.  Strength, pace, power, determination.  He has got it all.

16:54 UK
Fabinho's view of the goal

16:57 UK
Chance

25' Sterling with a chance at the edge of the 6 yard box but Alisson does enough.  It hits his legs and Matip clears.

17:03 UK
Goal

32' Gap left in midfield by Liverpool and it's rolled to De Bruyne, who flicks it on to Jesus and he toe-pokes that into the net.

1-1.

17:04 UK

32' And now De Bruyne drills a shot narrowly wide.

They're finding the midfield space now.

17:15 UK
De Bruyne misses penalty

41' City awarded a penalty after De Bruyne smashes a cross at Joe Gomez.  Gomez moving his arm away as the ball hits.

Referee sent to the monitor to review and awards the pen.

De Bruyne steps up and puts the penalty wide.

17:18 UK
Chance

45+2' Trent puts a free kick narrowly over from just outside the area.

17:21 UK
HALF TIME

Man City 1-1 Liverpool

The reds started very very well and deservedly went ahead after Mane's pace forced Kyle Walker to foul him and concede the penalty.

But De Bruyne found Gabriel Jesus just after the half hour to level.

One of those daft handball penalty decisions for Man City but fortunately de Bruyne stuck his penalty wide of the goal.

1-1 not an unfair half time scoreline.

17:35 UK
SECOND HALF

Could go in absolutely any direction this game.

Back to it....

17:37 UK
YELLOW CARD

47' Joel Matip carded for a foul on Kevin de Bruyne.

17:40 UK
Jota chance

End to end stuff.

Chances at either end and then another Liverpool break forward.  Ederson punches away and Jota receives the ball, steps to his right before again not getting enough power behind his shot.

17:45 UK
Big chance

55' Good cross into the area from City and it's a free header for Gabriel Jesus - he heads that one wide though thankfully.

Clearest chance of the half so far.

17:48 UK
LFC Sub

59' Firmino replaced by Shaqiri.

17:50 UK
Penalty shout?

Jota shot in the area and it hits Cancelo's elbow.

Nothing given for that handball.

17:51 UK
YELLOW CARD

61' Sterling booked for a foul on Matip.

Bernardo Sterling replaces Ferran Torres.

17:52 UK

62' Trent Alexander-Arnold down with what he appears to say is his 'calf'.

17:53 UK
LFC Sub

63' James Milner comes on to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.

18:09 UK
YELLOW CARD

79' Laporte gets a card for a professional foul on Salah.

Steam well and truly gone out of Liverpool's sails.  Trent off was a big blow. 

The reds look more tired from their midweek trip to Italy.

18:21 UK
Added time

90' We've got four minutes to play.

The last half hour of this game hasn't been anywhere near the level of the first 60 minutes.

City looking slightly stronger in this period.

18:23 UK
YELLOW

90+3' Professional foul by Kyle Walker on Wijnaldum.

18:25 UK
FULL TIME

Man City 1-1 Liverpool

The reds remain 5 points ahead of City after a hard fought draw.

Very entertaining for 60 minutes but then Liverpool, and then City, faded.  Perhaps their Champions League exploits catching up with them.

An improvement for the reds on their last outing here.

19:17 UK
Post match League Table

We head into the international break.

And next up for Liverpool is... Leicester City!

Should be interesting.

19:17 UK



One comment on
As it happened: Man City 1-1 LFC

  1. Thanks manger Klopp and your lads for bringing the game to bed in style.a draw was not expected so much,especially that people had it in favour of city,you will go ahead of everyone,soon,

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