Liverpool 1 Man City 1: Advantage Arsenal in Premier League title race as Guardiola and Klopp both rue wasted chances
PEP GUARDIOLA may yet become the first manager to win four consecutive English titles and he may end the season with a double Treble.
But the Manchester City boss will never defeat Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in front of an Anfield crowd.
City survived a second-half monstering from the Reds to escape with a draw – an Alexis Mac Allister penalty cancelling out a first-half strike from John Stones.
It means that the final Premier League battle between Klopp and Guardiola ended with Mikel Arteta the only winner – his Arsenal side leading Liverpool on goal difference and City by a single point.
Before this match, Guardiola said his job is so tough, he often pretends he is Superman. If that’s so then Anfield is his Planet Krypton.
But this was Guardiola’s eighth and final attempt at winning at Liverpool’s home with the doors open – his only win here coming in the pandemic campaign of 2020-21 – and he failed.
Such was his sense of fear, the City boss took the unusual option of substituting his chief creative force, Kevin De Bruyne, midway through the second half.
Liverpool stretched their unbeaten Premier League home record to 26 matches but with Luis Diaz missing a string of chances, they could not turn their dominance into yet another comeback win.
City are unbeaten in 21 matches in all competitions. Arsenal, meanwhile have won eight league games in a row.
This is quite some three-horse race – breathless, relentless and jam-packed with world-class quality.
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With Mo Salah only fit enough to start on the bench and Ibrahima Konate ruled out by injury, City had the stronger, more experienced line-up.
After Klopp and Guardiola had shared a pre-match bearhug, City started with a strut, their pass-and-moved routines sleek and menacing.
The Kop’s pre-match anthems made way for high-pitched whistles and jeers as City hogged the ball, pinning Liverpool back.
Julian Alvarez and De Bruyne both tested Caoimhin Kelleher.
But eventually Liverpool joined in, Conor Bradley’s low centre was aimed at Darwin Nunez, who missed the ball and skidded into the back post.
Luis Diaz found the net but Nunez had been offside in the build-up.
Indeed, Nunez spent most of the first half offside. Haaland is never offside.
Just as the Reds threatened to take over, they were mugged – City scoring with a set-piece goal drenched in sauce.
As Nathan Ake cutely blocked off Mac Allister, De Bruyne delivered an arcing low corner with pace and accuracy to the near post where Stones prodded home.
On City’s bench, set-piece coach Carlos Vicens winked like a master criminal who had just overseen a major heist.
Stones and his mates cavorted with the City faithful in the Anfield Road End.
But Liverpool responded well – Dominik Szoboszlai skewing a header wide from a Harvey Elliott centre, Diaz fizzing a shot wide.
Usually, though, Liverpool’s attacks broke down when Nunez strayed offside – the linesman threatened by repetitive strain injury in his flagging arm.
At the opposite end, Haaland and Van Dijk were staging an intriguing world heavyweight clash of their own, which Liverpool’s skipper was shading.
Within two minutes of the restart, the brain-fade which allowed Liverpool back in.
Ake’s weak back-pass was pounced upon by Nunez, who was clattered by Ederson.
Michael Oliver pointed to the spot and after Ederson had been treated for a self-inflicted injury, Mac Allister rammed home the spot-kick three minutes after the initial offence.
Anfield was an explosion of sound – their heroes roused, City rattled.
Soon an injured Ederson was replaced by Stefan Ortega, a Cup keeper with scant experience of occasions like this.
De Bruyne angled a pass to Foden but Kelleher thwarted him at the near post.
Then Diaz botched his first touch when released by Nunez, as Klopp sent for Salah.
The Egyptian soon sent Diaz clean through but the Colombian shot wide across goal.
Next Diaz took another poor touch and was robbed by Kyle Walker before he pulled the trigger.
It was all Liverpool, swarming all over the champions. It was Smothering Sunday.
Guardiola pressed the panic button by hooking De Bruyne in favour of Mateo Kovacic. The Belgian voiced his displeasure at length. This sort of thing doesn’t happen to him.
But it seemed to work, a second holding midfield play restored law and order to the midfield.
Soon, Ake’s centre was punched by Kelleher and cannoned off Foden onto the crossbar.
Walker, who had been excellent, survived a VAR check for a late challenge on Salah.
Jarrell Quansah had a long-ranger pushed out by Ortega, Diaz won a corner with a manic jinking run at Rodri and Walker.
On a City break, Jeremy Doku shot against the inside of the post.
But the City sub survived a VAR check for a high boot on Mac Allister in the dying seconds and Liverpool couldn’t find the killer blow.