The two leading teams in the Premier League drew 1-1 in round 13, in a top match at the Etihad on November 25.
Dominating the first half, Man City failed to maintain the pressure and lead in the second. Liverpool were behind for most of the match, then fought back strongly in the end and got the reward through Trent Alexander-Arnold's equalizer. On the day Erling Haaland reached 50 Premier League goals, Man City could not take all three points against their direct rivals. Holding each other to a 1-1 draw, top-ranked Man City and second-placed Liverpool could both lose their positions if Arsenal beat Brentford in Saturday's late game.
Alexander-Arnold celebrates scoring the equaliser against Man City at the Etihad Stadium on November 25. Photo: PA
Watching the game in the first 45 minutes, not many people expected Liverpool to get a point at Etihad. Man City pressed from the start, playing high up the pitch, making it almost impossible for the visitors to develop the ball. Under great pressure, goalkeeper Alisson continuously made bad passes. Liverpool's goalkeeper was lucky not to be punished for Phil Foden's gentle shot, but had to pay the price in the 27th minute.
From Alisson's indecisive kick-off, Nathan Ake won and dribbled past two Liverpool players, before passing to Haaland to score in a one-on-one. Haaland reached the milestone of 50 Premier League goals in the fastest time, after just 48 games. It was also the Norwegian superstar's first goal against Liverpool.
Haaland (No. 9) celebrates the opening goal against Liverpool. Photo: Reuters
Not Haaland, Jeremy Doku was the standout player in the home team's attacks. Man City mostly attacked on the Belgian's left wing, where he constantly tormented Trent Alexander-Arnold and the visitors' central defenders with his fast dribbling. On Liverpool's side, Nunez was the most active, thanks to his agility and smart positioning. The Uruguayan striker also had the most dangerous chance for the visitors, when he headed Mohamed Salah's cross hard, forcing Ederson to show his talent.
Liverpool rallied in the second half and showed they were capable of going toe-to-toe with the defending champions, creating a number of dangerous attacks. Man City also had plenty of chances to double their lead, as their opponents pressed high in search of an equaliser. But Julian Alvarez, Doku and Rodri were all unable to score, while Ruben Dias was denied a goal by Manuel Akanji's foul on Alisson.
A one-goal advantage is never a guarantee in a top-flight match like Man City vs Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp's men proved that in the 80th minute. Despite not doing a good job of blocking Doku, Alexander-Arnold shone on the attacking front. Receiving a pass from Salah, the England international charged forward and fired a low shot from the edge of the box, beating Ederson. Cody Gakpo played a key role in the goal, with his clever movement creating space for Alexander-Arnold.
In the final minutes, Man City went all out in search of the winning goal. Liverpool players kept getting yellow cards for fouls on Doku, while injured goalkeeper Alisson still tried to play on in the extra minutes. The visitors' bravery was rewarded with a point at Etihad. The point was somewhat fortunate, as Liverpool would have lost if Haaland had not headed just wide of the post from the final corner of the match.
The match was tense not only during the match, but also after the referee blew the final whistle. Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez had a verbal exchange and almost got into a fight with coach Pep Guardiola, forcing members of both teams to intervene.
The draw with Liverpool ended Man City's 23-game winning streak at home in all competitions. They are just one home win short of Sunderland's record set in 1892. The second consecutive draw in the Premier League leaves Guardiola's side with 29 points after 13 games, just one more than Liverpool and two more than Arsenal, who have played one more game.
Vy Anh
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