Despite the gap in the table between Liverpool FC (12th) and Manchester City (2nd), it was a duel at eye level from the start. Both teams started focused and disciplined, Liverpool had the best attack in the league well under control and gave little.
So it took a while before Ilkay Gündogan fired his first shot on goal with a side kick from almost 20 meters. The attempt by the German international did not pose any problems for Alisson Becker (20′).
A minute later, there was danger for the first time on the other side when young Harvey Elliott sent a cross to Diogo Jota, who could not put any pressure behind his header from a few meters. Ederson held safely (21st).
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The LFC got hungrier and just three minutes later had the next chance to finish: Ederson blocked a cross from the right in the direction of Andrew Robertson, who shot just over the goal with a dropkick from 16 meters (24′).
Erling Haaland, who had hardly appeared to date, was then supposed to put his stamp on the last 15 minutes of the first round – but the Norwegian was not allowed to celebrate. First the ex-Dortmunder failed with a lob to Alisson (33rd), then he missed twice after a pass from Kevin De Bruyne with a header.
First the Norwegian nodded over it from a few meters (35′), then from a more promising position straight into the hands of the Liverpool goalkeeper (40′).
While there was a lack of top-class scenes in the goal area in the first round, it didn’t take long for the first highlight after the change of sides. A nice opening pass from Roberto Firmino sent Mohamed Salah on his way, who narrowly missed the bottom left corner in front of Ederson (50′). Jota also ran on the left, but was not passed by the Egyptian.
Almost immediately, the doorbell rang on the other side: Haaland followed up in the penalty area and tipped the ball out of Alisson’s hands, allowing Phil Foden to score from a tight angle (53′). However, the goal was disallowed because Haaland initiated the goal by illegally winning the ball against Fabinho.
The keeper also won the next duel between Haaland and Alisson when the Brazilian stretched out and scraped a low shot from the Norwegian out of the corner (64′).
Salah missed the lead in the 70th minute, but then made it better a little later: The Egyptian took a long shot from Alisson in an exemplary manner from the turn, shook off João Cancelo and scored coolly in the left corner to make it 1-0 (76th). .
In the final quarter of an hour, Joker Darwin Núñez awarded the preliminary decision (78th/87th). In addition, Klopp was referred to the bench for a loud protest with red (86th) – he had called for a foul against Salah on the right corner and clearly left the coaching zone.
After Virgil van Dijk’s rescue operation in front of Haaland (82nd), nothing happened in the ten-minute added time. The Reds remained 1-0 but are still 14 points adrift of leaders Arsenal. Man City are four points behind the Gunners.
The votes for the game:
Pep Guardiola (Trainer Manchester City): “The referee spoke to my assistants before the game and said he wanted to let a lot go. That’s what he did. The whole game was ‘keep playing, keep playing!’ – except for the goal by Foden.”
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool FC): “We did very well today. It was important that we kept a clean sheet – now we have to look forward again. The fans gave us great support and played an important role, especially after we had a complicated start in the league . In the first half we played well and didn’t give too much away. In the second half we had to defend and took one of our chances. We won, that’s the most important thing.”
The tweet about the game:
Klopp as you know him. The German coach complained so loudly for not having committed a foul on Salah that referee Anthony Taylor gave him a red card in the 86th minute.
That was noticeable: Haaland finished poorly
City’s counter-pressing quickly had an effect and repeatedly led to the Reds losing the ball quickly. The home side had to make an enormous effort to regain the ball. Jürgen Klopp’s team ran behind a lot and consequently built something towards the end of the first half, which created chances for the Citizens.
The Reds were lucky that the Skyblues kept missing the right moment for the last pass. After a few minutes, Pep Guardiola ordered full-back Cancelo to play more of an offensive role. However, this hardly brought more penetrating power against a compact Liverpool.
After the change of sides, Liverpool seemed more determined and repeatedly got the fast Salah into dangerous situations with passes into the interface. The Egyptian then took advantage of this because Alisson switched quickly and brought in his footballing qualities.
City often only had one variant in their repertoire: high balls to Haaland. The Norwegian was unlucky that day and missed several good opportunities.
The stats: 21/22
With the 1-0 win at home on Anfield Road, the LFC inflicted the first defeat of the current season on the Citizens. Pep Guardiola’s side had previously gone 21 consecutive Premier League games unbeaten since beating Tottenham 3-2 in February. The last away defeat – also against Tottenham (0: 1) – was even more than a year ago (August 2021). In between, Man City was undefeated abroad 22 times.
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