Man City 2-2 Liverpool: Mane salvages birthday point in battle stalemate

Premier League
Sunday 10 April 2022 - 4:30 pm
Etihad Stadium
Man City2
2Liverpool
Show Match Events
⚽️ De Bruyne6'
13'Jota ⚽️
28' Robertson
⚽️ Jesus37'
Silva40'
46'Mane ⚽️
61' Alcantara
70'↔️ Jota off, Diaz on
Sterling off, Mahrez on ↔️75'
78'↔️ Henderson off, Keïta on
Jesus off, Grealish on ↔️83'
83' Fabinho
84'↔️ Mane off, Firmino on
89' van Dijk
Hide Match Events

It was a case of 'carry on as you are' after a pulsating high quality encounter at the Etihad Stadium yesterday evening.

The top two teams in the country could not be separated as they played out their second draw from their two meetings this season.

Liverpool underperformed significantly in the first half and could consider them lucky to only go in to the half time break the one goal down.

But an early second half equaliser from Sadio Mane, celebrating his 30th birthday, ensured that the points were shared and the two teams head into their final 7 game stretch separated by one point at the top of the table.

Three Changes

Klopp opted for the front three of Salah, Mane and Jota for this clash - although both Firmino and Luis Diaz were eventually brought on as second half replacements.  Joel Matip returned to the starting line up and it was a middle three of Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago.

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Alcantara, Henderson, Mane, Salah, Jota

Subs: Kelleher, Milner, Konaté, Jones, Gomez, Tsimikas, Keïta, Firmino, Diaz

The reds midfield however failed to get an early grip on the game and it was City who looked the more determined early on.  A chance for Raheem Sterling was stopped by the feet of Alisson just 30 seconds before a Kevin de Bruyne shot took a wicked deflection off Joel Matip's thigh and diverted past Alisson.

Liverpool, to their credit, roared straight back in to the game and a well worked move saw Diogo Jota score with his feet this time to level quickly.

But City dominated large parts of the first half and the reds were too manic in trying to get rid of the ball - there was little football on offer from those in the red shirts.

Eventually Gabriel Jesus beat the offside trap to power the ball past Alisson and give City another deserved lead.

The reds trudged into half time with many fans expecting personnel changes - but it seems that Klopp preferred to give more of a tactical talk in the dressing room.

Whatever he said, it worked, as Liverpool looked far livelier after the restart and it was Mane who latched on to a Salah chance to stroke past Ederson and give himself a birthday treat.

There were a couple of further chances, to City anyway, and Mahrez probably should have done better when he tried to lift the ball into the net in the final minute of the game.

But it ended 2-2 and it's a result Klopp said 'we will have to live with and will live with.'

The advantage turns slightly towards City who now have an easier run in and just have to match Liverpool's results in the run in.  The reds, meanwhile, have both Man United and Everton to face - two teams who would relish the chance to extinguish Liverpool's title hopes.

MOTM: Alisson Becker

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