Liverpool 1-1 Man City: Five major talking points after Anfield cracker

It was hyped as the sport of the Premier League season thus far and it did not disappoint.

Leaders Arsenal are solely above Liverpool on purpose distinction, whereas champions Manchester City are only one level behind them in third.

“What a game,” mentioned former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports. “It was improbable from each groups. They needs to be pleased with themselves.

“What these two groups and managers have given us over the previous six-to-seven years has been excellent. It appears just like the title race will go all the way down to the wire.”

From Kevin de Bruyne’s substitution shock to Liverpool’s late penalty ache, listed below are 5 of the major talking points to come back from one other Anfield cracker:

The Premier League’s current historical past has been outlined by the managerial rivalry between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. If this was its last chapter, then Liverpool and Manchester City closed the guide in becoming style with an Anfield basic.

They might but have yet another assembly within the FA Cup this season – but it surely felt like the tip of one thing particular as Klopp and Guardiola shared a protracted embrace on the last whistle. In a panoramic 1-1 draw, each groups contributed to a thriller within the fashion that has been the trademark of their managers.

In the primary half, Manchester City had been the composed and measured cross masters, dousing a red-hot Anfield environment with cool durations of possession. It was a silky easy efficiency that had Guardiola’s philosophy stamped throughout it.

And then, as soon as Alexis Mac Allister equalised from the spot early within the second half, City had been subjected to the type of assault Klopp’s Liverpool have inflicted on them right here earlier than.

No-one has been capable of make Guardiola’s City rattle like Liverpool beneath Klopp.

Klopp and Guardiola have pushed one another to nice heights, with Guardiola the winner when measured in trophies. How many extra items of silverware would Klopp have claimed with out the presence of Guardiola’s City?

“Jurgen will probably be again,” said Guardiola after the match. “He loves the job an excessive amount of. What can I say? He made us a greater crew. He made me a greater supervisor.

“I wish he will be back soon because football needs personalities like him.”

In the meantime, and till Klopp and Guardiola meet once more, we have now the reminiscence of one more excellent recreation. That present of respect for one another on the last whistle mentioned all of it.

Manchester City have left Anfield on many events believing they’ve been on the flawed finish of essential selections. On this event, it was Liverpool who felt that they had been robbed.

In what would have offered a contentious, dramatic finale to this high-quality encounter, Jeremy Doku’s excessive problem on Mac Allister within the space was at finest excessive danger and at worst reckless.

Anfield held its breath because the video assistant referee studied the incident. But referee Michael Oliver gave nothing, and seconds later, blew the ultimate whistle.

It was onerous to see how a penalty was not given however, this time, there have been no complaints from City. Only reduction. It would have been a match-shaping, probably match-winning, second.

Liverpool supervisor Klopp was a mix of anger and disbelief and, like Guardiola after earlier encounters at Anfield, it was straightforward to see why.

He mentioned: “It was 100% a penalty. They will discover a proof. It was 100% a foul in all areas of the pitch and doubtless a yellow card.

“All the folks with iPads round me had been ‘wow, clear’. Maybe they will conceal behind the phrase it’s not clear and apparent.

“Why did the guy in the VAR room think it was not clear and obvious? What did he have for lunch?”

Manchester City, in distinction, may really feel they had been due one at Anfield. They actually acquired one.

Games between Liverpool and Manchester City are constructed for world-class gamers. Those gamers wish to be centre stage. Perhaps, then, it’s comprehensible that Kevin de Bruyne delivered a really seen present of dissent as he made his approach in direction of the bench on being changed by Mateo Kovacic within the 69th minute.

The nice Belgian had already made his mark with the lovable nook that unlocked Liverpool for John Stones’ opener and was nonetheless gliding round with menace when his quantity got here up.

To say he was sad was an understatement, his emotions relayed through expressions and gestures, arms outstretched, phrases with the bench, earlier than a dialog with Guardiola…

And De Bruyne continued to look disgruntled when he finally took a seat on the sidelines…

But Guardiola has seen all of it earlier than and swiftly moved on, saying: “That’s good. He can have an opportunity to show it subsequent recreation.

“We wanted a participant who retains the ball. It’s not about urgent. Mateo Kovacic is absolutely good at that.

“We were happy with Kevin. It’s not a problem. We’re fine.”

Players of De Bruyne’s stature deal with elite video games as their pure habitat – and he had already made a major contribution by organising City’s purpose. He has now been concerned in 13 objectives in 12 appearances for City in 2024 – two objectives and 11 assists – essentially the most of any Premier League participant throughout all competitions this yr.

De Bruyne missed 4 months of the season with a hamstring harm, so possibly there was a need to guard the 32-year-old, however this may blow over and he will probably be making an enormous contribution earlier than the season ends.

Mohamed Salah’s introduction on the hour was greeted with predictable rapture and inside seconds he confirmed what Liverpool have been lacking throughout his absence with a hamstring harm, in addition to the world-class high quality he’ll provide on this season’s climax.

The Egyptian produced a protracted cross of dream-like high quality together with his first contact, low and drilled with exceptional precision, into the trail of Luis Diaz, who was clear by way of on purpose.

The Colombian had time and area to regular himself, with solely Stefan Ortega to beat, earlier than leaving Anfield aghast by sending his end broad. Diaz couldn’t imagine it and neither might anybody else contained in the stadium.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scotland winger Pat Nevin described Diaz’s efficiency as “really, really special”, whereas ex-England striker Daniel Sturridge mentioned he “did everything besides score”.

But therein lies Liverpool’s difficulty – he did not rating and for all the standard elsewhere, Salah stays their largest menace and most dependable marksman.

Diaz is bursting with tempo and menace and can get his share of objectives, however he’s not in Salah’s league on the subject of the chilly, ruthless enterprise of goalscoring. Diaz was a handful each minute – till it got here to the enterprise a part of placing the ball within the web.

If Liverpool are to say silverware this season, Salah’s brilliance in entrance of purpose will probably be central to that pursuit.

The anticipation round conferences between Liverpool and Manchester City is larger than for some other Premier League recreation and barely do they disappoint.

Manchester City have discovered Liverpool their most formidable foe within the Guardiola period, their title battles a relentless narrative, usually stretching to the ultimate day of the season.

The head-to-head conferences, showcasing their the totally different types, have made for a heady soccer cocktail and Anfield was the scene of one other cracker so as to add to a prolonged listing.

Once the sound and fury had died down after referee Oliver’s last whistle, a protracted spell of applause broke out across the stadium from supporters capable of recognize the standard of what that they had witnessed.

As Nevin aptly put it at full-time: “Everyone around this ground just stood up and applauded. It was a kind of ‘well, thank you’.”

It was a tribute to each managers and each groups.

BBC Sport readers had been equally engrossed within the motion, with this a collection of the very best social media messages posted in our reside textual content web page:

Neal: What a pleasant watch! Two nice groups who’ve gained every thing previously seven years going face to face. Mikel Arteta deserves big credit score for bringing a younger Arsenal aspect into the title combine with these two unimaginable sides.

David: Premier League soccer at its finest. As a Sheffield United fan, I have never mentioned that a lot this season.

John: Two great soccer groups with two prime, prime coaches, competing on the prime of an excellent league. What a time to be alive. Happy Sunday guys!

Saqub_sheikh: What a spectacle! Liverpool and Man City produced a compelling and excellent match. Two champion groups confirmed why they’ve been so good for a few years. As a impartial, it highlights why the Premier League is solely the very best.

Steve Ok: Can we have now additional time please?