Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool
We’ve known for two years there’s little to choose between these Premier League big guns.
And so it proved, again, as the honours at the Etihad Stadium ended even.
City, meanwhile, will rue a penalty miss from the usually reliable footballer of the year Kevin de Bruyne.
All in all, though, few can argue this was a fair scoreline after an absorbing 90 minutes.
Highlights of the game
In truth, most of the Premier League highlights arrived in the first half.
That was when most of the quality was on show, when the pace and intensity was at its highest as the top two teams in the land slugged it out.
Within 12 minutes, Liverpool had their reward for a positive start as Kyle Walker brought down Sadio Mane in the box and Mohamed Salah coolly converted the resulting penalty, despite Ederson going the right way.
It was his first Premier League goal in 13 away games against their ‘big-six’ rivals.
When the equaliser did arrive, just after the half hour, it was a thing of beauty.
Partly making amends for conceding the penalty, Walker found de Bruyne who slipped the ball into the returning Gabriel Jesus and the Brazilian produced a superb first touch to flick the ball between his legs and around Trent Alexander-Arnold before toe-poking into the bottom corner.
Now City had their dander up and, when de Bruyne’s cross was blocked by the arm of centre back Joe Gomez six minutes before the break, City – aiming to win back-to-back league games for the first time this season – had a penalty of their own.
Yet in a rare moment of inaccuracy, the Belgian could only roll the ball wide of the post. How costly that could prove come the end of the season remains to be seen.
Liverpool almost had an interval lead and Ederson had to redeem himself to collect the ball at the second attempt to prevent new boy and in-form Diogo Jota tapping into an empty net.
Jota and Jesus both had good chances to put their sides back in front early in the second half but the opportunities were few after that.
There was certainly no lack of effort or imagination but energy levels were naturally not quite as high as normal – understandable given the congestion that 2020/21 is bringing.
So, a goal apiece, a point apiece in the ‘ready to rumble’ encounter and a result which continues to ensure Liverpool are title favourites.
A title is rarely decided in November, of course, and no doubt there will be plenty of more twists to come with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds as the months progress.
Key statistics
De Bruyne’s penalty is the first spot-kick to miss the target in a Premier League game since October 2018, also between these sides when Riyad Mahrez blazed over in a goalless draw at Anfield.
Jesus’ equaliser came from the most number of passes (19) in the build up to a Premier League goal against Liverpool since September 2017; a strike which was also a Jesus goal (assisted by De Bruyne) at the Etihad (also 19 passes).
Seventeen of Jesus’ career goals have been assisted by de Bruyne – no other player has assisted him more than seven times.
Salah has scored eight goals for Liverpool in this season’s Premier League; no player has ever scored more in the Reds’ first eight matches of a campaign in the competition – level with Fernando Torres in 2009-10 and Robbie Fowler in 1995-96.
Salah has scored 81 Premier League goals in 116 games since his Liverpool debut in 2017, more than any other top-flight player during that period.
Liverpool have failed to keep a clean sheet in the last 11 league away encounters, at City, conceding 26 goals in total.
Walker has given away a penalty in two of his three home league appearances this season (also against Leicester).
City have gone five Premier League matches without scoring more than one goal for the first time in 11 years.
Liverpool have won only three of their last 10 Premier League away matches (drawn three, lost four), following a run of 16 victories in 17 games.
What’s next?
It’s another big clash for City straight after the international break as they travel to Spurs.
Liverpool entertain former manager Brendan Rodgers and Leicester City at Anfield earlier the same day (November 21).
The following midweek, City are at Olympiacos in Greece, while the Merseysiders host Italians Atalanta.
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