Liverpool 1 – 1 Manchester City – The PL Postmortem
This game will most probably prove pivotal in determining the 2023/24 Premier League title, as the biggest rivalry of recent times was undertaken on Mothering Sunday. The Reds were the better team on the day, as they dominated the second period and were controversially denied a stone wall penalty in the 98th minute. The top of the table looks as tight as one could ever imagine, which makes for the most unbelievable of run-ins in recent history.
Below is how the team lined up, with match details following.
The Starting Eleven
GK – Caoimhin Kelleher
RB – Conor Bradley
RCB – Jarell Quansah
LCB – Virgil van Dijk (c)
LB – Joe Gomez
LCM – Dominik Szoboszlai
CDM – Wataru Endō
RCM – Alexis Mac Allister
RF – Harvey Elliott
CF – Darwin Núñez
LF – Luis Díaz
Subs
Mohamed Salah – Dominik Szoboszlai (60 mins)
Andy Robertson – Conor Bradley (60 mins)
Cody Gakpo – Darwin Núñez (75 mins)
Goals
Liverpool 0 – 1 Manchester City
John Stones (Kevin De Bruyne) 23 mins
Liverpool 1 – 1 Manchester City
Alexis Mac Allister (Penalty) 50 mins
Important Match Stats
Possession
Liverpool 53% – 47% Manchester City
Total Shots
Liverpool 19 – 10 Manchester City
Crosses
Liverpool 22 – 10 Manchester City
Corner Kicks
Liverpool 7 – 4 Manchester City
Counter Attacks
Liverpool 11 – 21 Manchester City
Goalkeeper Saves
Liverpool 5 – 5 Manchester City
Game Highlights and Key Performances
The opening period of this game was very much about Manchester City attempting and finding their desire to control possession. A couple of half chances needed to be dealt with by either the Liverpool rearguard or Caoimhin Kelleher, with the home side attempting to adjust to what appeared to be an on-ball 4-2-3-1 formation, with Dominik Szoboszlai tasked with pushing closer to Darwin (from LCM) when the Reds initiated their attacks. A good effort by young Conor Bradley flashed across Ederson at around twenty minutes, which seemed to ignite the hosts from their early and subdued start.
A clear offside for the advancing Uruguayan, Darwin Núñez, saw the first goal chalked off after Dominik Szoboszlai tapped in from his teammate’s perfectly executed square ball. Soon after, a well-worked corner allowed John Stones to open the scoring, with the driven set-piece finding the former Everton man unmarked at the near post. The remainder of the half was a culmination of half chances for either side, as most of the play was evened out. The Reds probably felt unlucky to be entering the dressing room with a goal deficit, though there was always a sense that a pushback was incoming. You could sense that the home side was pushing too hard, and a calmer set of heads was needed to finish the various openings.
There will be a feeling of 2 points dropped after that second-half performance but I'd like to just bring it back a little…
To perform like that against Manchester City with the squad issues we have right now is nothing short of REMARKABLE.
Fantastic effort from this squad❤️
— GaGs (@GagsTandon) March 10, 2024
The Second Half
On resumption of the second half, no changes were made by either side, however, you could see that the reds German manager was readying his first alteration. That initial change had to wait until his turbo-charged central striker, Darwin, was taken down in the penalty box. The resulting penalty eventually saw Ederson have to leave the field, though not before Alexis Mac Allister had blasted his second penalty of the week into the corner. The home side deserved to be level, and they took off from then on. The maverick wing play of Luis Díaz was at times scintillating, especially when oncoming substitute Mohamed Salah had entered the fray to offer some elite-level contributions. The Egyptian King replaced the outgoing Hungarian skipper, Dominik Szoboszlai, who was fading quickly amidst an erratic final-third display. Conor Bradley also departed the encounter, allowing Andy Robertson to take up his left-back role as Joe Gomez switched to his preferred right-back slot.
The continuing frustration of the game did not cease, as moments of dominance arrived without producing the most needed: a goal. The efforts and control of Alexis and his Japan midfield partner, Wataru Endō, overran the obscenely talented and expensive Manchester City machine, which faltered and failed to land many blows in a one-sided half. The noise of Anfield at this point was satisfied, and it drove their team, which pushed and pushed but failed to deliver the final blow. Andy Robertson was reinvigorated and looked energized against a tiring opposition, whereas Harvey Elliott was keen and lively. The central defenders were brutal and aggressive, which reduced Erling Haaland to very few moments.
A Controversial Conclusion
Those moments ticked and ticked away, and only a Jérémy Doku effort troubled to cause an upset. The final minutes were consumed by VAR and their failures, which remains a bitter pill to swallow
https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1766886292594278546
Final Reflections
This game should have been won in the dying embers, yet the officials failed to deliver the decision that the home side deserved. The Reds will be dissatisfied with a point, yet the anger and disappointment may drive them towards the Premier League title, which is starting to look very deserved.
Pre-game prediction;
Liverpool 2 – 1 Manchester City
Steven Smith
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