Also, it is heart-warming to know that both sides will be at each other’s throats next weekend when they square up in the semi-finals of the English FA Cup at Wembley.
City’s Riyad Mahrez should have made the points safe for the hosts but he overhit a wild shot with the game’s very last chance. A point surely suits Liverpool more than City, though it does little to boost either side’s title hopes. Simply put, it is still all to play for with seven games remaining.
Liverpool’s Diogo Jota and Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus both found the net in this game and both kept their records of never losing in a Premier League match when they score. Jota is unbeaten in 33 matches (W27, D6) and Jesus in 45 (W42 D3), with only James Milner (54 games) and Darius Vassell (46) scoring in more without losing in Premier League history.
Goals from Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus for City coupled with efforts from Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane for Liverpool saw both sides eke out a 2-2 draw, as they remain only a point adrift of each other.
It’s finished at the Etihad Stadium and both Manchester City and Liverpool have played out one of the most entertaining draws in Premier League history, as the two heavyweights slogged it out in search of an advantage in the title race, but ultimately cancelled each other out at a tense Etihad Stadium.
FULL TIME AT THE ETIHAD STADIUM: Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool
64′ MIN: The goal by Manchester City won’t count as it has been disallowed due to offside on the advice of the video assistant referee!
64′ MIN: Hold on! There’s a VAR review to see whether there was an offside in the build up to the goal. The referee is checking now. The Manchester City players aren’t happy.
63′ MIN: Raheem Sterling receives a delightful pass inside the box before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper. What a brilliant finish!
GOAL! Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool (R. Sterling)
46′ MIN: What a start to the second half by Liverpool! Sadio Mane receives a precise pass inside the box from Mohamed Salah and he beats the goalkeeper with a neat finish into the right side of the net.
GOOOAAAALLL!!! Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool (S. Mane)
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY AT THE ETIHAD STADIUM: Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool
HALF-TIME AT THE ETIHAD STADIUM: Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool
37′ MIN: Gabriel Jesus connects with a cross from Joao Cancelo inside the box and takes a brilliant touch to fire the ball in off the crossbar, leaving the keeper helpless.
GOOOAAALLL!!! Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool (G. Jesus)
13′ MIN: That did not take long! Diogo Jota is set free in the area by Trent Alexander-Arnold and he fires low past City goalkeeper Ederson.
GOOOAAALLL!!! Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool (D. Jota)
5′ MIN: Kevin De Bruyne makes himself some space on the edge of the penalty area and pulls the trigger. His accurate effort goes in off the post and gives the hosts the lead.
GOOOAAALLL!!! Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool (K. De Bruyne)
KICK-OFF AT THE ETIHAD STADIUM: Manchester City 0-0 Liverpool
As for Liverpool, manager Jurgen Klopp has made three alterations to the side that beat Benfica 3-1 away in the UCL in midweek. Diogo Jota comes in to the forward line but Luis Diaz drops out. In defence, Joel Matip starts ahead of Ibrahima Konate and in midfield Jordan Henderson replaces Naby Keita.
City boss Pep Guardiola has made three changes from the side that defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg clash. Kyle Walker comes back into what is likely to be a back four, with Nathan Ake dropping out. Brazilian international Gabriel Jesus and Englishman Phil Foden both start, while Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan both drop to the substitutes bench.
HOT STAT: Liverpool are one of only two teams in Europe’s top-five league’s yet to trail at half-time this season.
KEY BATTLE: Both City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah have played in this Premier League encounter nine times. De Bruyne is hoping to add to his tally of seven goal contributions (two goals, five assists), while Salah has a contribution of five goals, two assists and will be keen to score for the fourth Premier League head-to-head match in a row.
City have kept six clean sheets in their last eight games and they also hold a strong record across 11 straight goalscoring Premier League home head-to-head against the Reds (W7, D3, L1), and are likely confident they can stay ahead in the title race.
Also, today’s mammoth clash is a dress rehearsal for the FA Cup semi-finals in which both sides will face each other next weekend at the Wembley Stadium. The Cityzens are chasing a treble of titles this season while the Reds are in the hunt for a historic quadruple. City’s one-time 14-point lead now stands at just a solitary point, and with both sides confident after midweek success in Europe, this should be an epic battle.
This epic battle between two of the top-flight’s finest teams, is one that will greatly determine who will be crowned champions of the 2021/2022 Premier League campaign. Both sides are only separated by just one point heading into this game and they are well aware that whoever bags the three points on offer, will most likely surge towards the trophy come next month.
Hello…good evening and welcome to Apex Football’s LIVE Premier League Matchday 32 coverage of the fixture between Manchester City and Liverpool which will go down at the Etihad Stadium.
Apex Football News 
Winning
LikeLike
South Africa
LikeLike