Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
In the Wild West world of predictions for football, perhaps nobody could see this coming. Liverpool and Manchester City kept fans on the edge of their seats in a football match that resulted in a 2-2 draw at Anfield Road, the undoubtedly fair result of one of the most thrilling matches of the season.
Prior to the second half, no scores were posted, but Liverpool got the jump on Manchester City, scoring first and immediately putting Manchester in an offensive posture as they sought to equalize. The first goal for Liverpool was the result of an assist from Mohamed Salah. After Manchester City tied up the match, Salah came through again with a stunning solo effort, once again claiming the lead for Liverpool and putting Manchester City back in the hot seat.
Phil Foden, who ranked as Manchester City's best player, made it 1-1 on a fine finish and Kevin De Bruyne, one of the best midfielders in the game today, came through by netting a 2-2 equalizer with less than 10 seconds left in the match.
"It was such a brilliant game," Foden said after the match. "On another day, we would've come away with the three points."
After a fiery start by Liverpool, Manchester City controlled the first half and created multiple opportunities down the left flank through Foden, but the visitors failed to pull ahead. Foden thought he had earned a penalty kick when he was tripped up by Liverpool right back James Milner, but the referee didn't oblige.
"I'm an honest guy. I don't like to go down," Foden said in an interview after the game. "I'd like to see the ref reward a free kick or a penalty for that. Whatever it is, that's football and we dealt with it well."
Liverpool switched up its strategy during halftime and returned to the field with their head in the game, led by a dazzling Mohamed Salah who trounced Manchester City with his efforts, including setting up a goal for Mane with a dribbling run and speedy pass. Manchester City tied things up later in the game and were eager to watch Liverpool lose a player after James Milner's foul, but the ref let him off the hook.
Just when things were tied up and it looked like anyone's game, Salah came through again with an amazing solo effort after gliding past Manchester City defenders to score the goal. Not a team to take this lying down, Manchester equalized again with Kevin De Bruyne shooting into the top of the box, leaving the game wide open for both teams. Liverpool's last chance by Fabinho was blocked by Rodri to preserve the final tie result.
"I think we'll be disappointed overall because we could have been better in the first half," Liverpool's Jordan Henderson said after the game. "And at 2-1 up in the last 10 minutes, we should have seen the game out. So disappointing, but there are positives to take away. A little bit of disappointment overall."
Both teams are going into their break in top three positions. Liverpool (4-0-3, 15 points) is in second place and Manchester City (4-1-2, 14 points) trails a little bit in third, while both teams rank behind Chelsea (16 points) sitting in first place. Liverpool is still undefeated this season.
Final score: Liverpool 2 - 2 Manchester City
90th min: Four minutes of stoppage time.
89th min: Anyone could take the lead in the final minutes of the game. Both teams have made an admirable effort and kept fans on tenterhooks.
87th min: A missed opportunity for Liverpool. A set piece into Manchester City's box goes to Fabinho's feet with the goal in sight, but Rodri comes in like a dark horse and blocks his attempts, leaving Ederson stranded on the set piece.
84th min: Fabinho and Kyle Walker get yellow carded by the referee as a caution for their long-distance maneuvering which resulted in a pass that went over the goal.
81st min: Manchester finally ties the game up with a loose ball sent home by midfielder Kevin De Bruyne at the top of the box. Raheem Sterling's offside position draws some scrutiny, but the play stands.
78th min: Right after the score by Liverpool, Manchester's Pep Guardiola and Bernardo Silva get yellow carded for protests. Liverpool replaces Milner with Joe Gomez.
76th min: Mohamed Salah scores a stunner of a solo goal as he glides by at least three Liverpool defenders to bring home an incredible finish.
73rd min: We see a little bit of Pep Guardiola's temper. James Milner, who's sitting on a yellow card, hacks down Bernardo Silva, which should have earned him another card. The refs don't see it that way and Milner skates by unscathed.
69th min: Manchester scores a goal thanks to Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus. Jesus converged from the right and fed the ball over to Foden who shot it inside the far post in a stunning finish.
68th min: Diogo Jota's hot temper has been such a liability that Liverpool replaces him with Roberto Firmino.
65th min: Manchester City's Raheem Sterling has replaced Jack Grealish, while Diogo Jota is yellow carded for an interaction with Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne.
64th min: Manchester City continues to reel as the minutes count down. Former Liverpool player Raheem Sterling enters the game.
59th min: Liverpool turns it back around with a score in the 59th minute after an excellent run down the right by Salah, who feeds the ball to Sadio Mane who finishes the movement, leaving Ederson flailing.
57th min: It's not looking as good for Liverpool now as it did at the top of the second half, after a series of free kicks, winning balls and shooting dangerous counter-shots.
54th min: The fans call for a penalty when Joao Cancelo blocked a play by Salah after he received a pass from Jota.
50th min: Ederson comes through with an excellent save. Diogo Jota does a spin maneuver and shoots near the top of the box, but Ederson nimbly deflects.
48th min: Ruben Dias helps to deflect a chance by steering the ball away from Diogo Jota in what appears to be a positive start to the second half for Liverpool.
46th min: The second half has begun without any changes.
Tony Incenzo has been to over 2,000 football grounds - is he the world's barmiest football fan? Read about his love for Non-League football and groundhopping obsession, including watching a match in prison!
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