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Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City; Five things we learned from an entertaining Anfield draw

Manchester City & Liverpool played out another classic encounter in the Premier League and it ended in a draw at Anfield

Liverpool and Manchester City fought out an incredible, intriguing, and ultimately entertaining encounter. They eventually settled for a 2-2 draw.

Jurgen Klopp’s reds made a fast start as they looked to threaten with their relentless gegenpress and adventurous passing. It didn’t last very long as City began to grow into the game. They dominated the majority of the first 45 minutes.

Phil Foden was arguably Pep’s most potent weapon. He has scored in every game he has played against Liverpool. Twice he was denied by Alisson, and Kevin De Bruyne should have done better with a header.

We saw a much-improved contest after the break. Jurgen Klopp and the fans would have been disappointed with what they saw in the first half. They switched it up a notch in the second.

Diogo Jota came close. Mohammed Salah’s run and pass carved City open, and Sadio Mane buried it on the hour mark. Phil Foden responded with a low drive into the bottom corner ten minutes later. Mo Salah with a mesmerizing goal as he beat four defenders and the keeper to put Liverpool in front again. Kevin De Bruyne then ensured the citizens wouldn’t leave empty-handed with a deflected finish.

Five things we learned from the match

Jack Grealish was not good in the middle

Pep is known for tweaking his formations, & it was no different today. Rather than being out on the left flank where he has been dangerous for most of the campaign, Jack Grealish played in the middle. He showed good movement, good ball-retention, and a few dribbles as would be expected. While his performance was not poor, he didn’t add much of an attacking dimension to his team’s play. He was overshadowed by the man who filled his role on the left, Foden. He was subbed off with his team behind, and they quickly equalized without him.

The Brazilian keepers are outstanding

Alisson and Ederson were magnificent. The Reds’ No. 1 made two big stops from Foden before the break, keeping his side in the match. Ederson had less to do in terms of handling. He showed his passing prowess with some defense-splitting balls from his penalty box, including one which nearly saw Foden score. Both were beaten by efforts they could do nothing about in the end.

Good & Bad Midfield

Both teams had a surprising mix in the middle of the park. Rodri and Jordan Henderson were unbelievably poor on and off the ball, while Curtis Jones stood tall for the Reds and Bernardo Silva continued his excellent recent form. At the break, the Liverpool captain had misplaced half his passes. Not ideal against the league champions. Rodri, meanwhile, was guilty of losing challenges and giving the ball away too. Rodri did make one massive late block on Fabinho to redeem himself.
Silva’s solo run was a first-half highlight which almost led to a City goal. Jones again proved his worth at the heart of midfield in a fourth successive start.

The Incredible Salah has to get that new contract soon

Performances like this only hasten the need for the Reds to tie up Mohamed Salah’s new contract. The little Egyptian was immaculate in attack and hard-working defensively. He had a brilliant assist and a world-class goal which twice put his team in front. One of the best players in the world right now.

The table doesn’t tell the full story

Liverpool went into the weekend top, and having lost their place to Chelsea, the Reds needed a win to return there. They couldn’t quite hold out against the reigning champions. They remain the only side in the Premier League who are unbeaten. Chelsea would be the most satisfied with the result that sees them stay top while Manchester City goes third, above their neighbors Man United.

Liverpool are unbeaten, City have only conceded three, but it’s Chelsea who sit in first position heading into the international break.

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