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LIVERPOOL AND Manchester City shared a pulsating 1-1 draw in their title showdown to leave Arsenal on top of the Premier League.
City took the lead through John Stones’ first-half strike, but Alexis Mac Allister equalised with a penalty soon after the interval at Anfield.
The result was exactly what Arsenal wanted as the Gunners retained first place, a position they earned when Kai Havertz’s late header clinched a dramatic 2-1 win against Brentford on Saturday.
Arsenal are above second-placed Liverpool on goal difference, with a +7 advantage, while champions City are one point adrift of the top two, with all three teams having 10 games left.
In a title race for the ages, Arsenal will travel to City for a potentially decisive clash in both sides’ next league game on 31 March.
City had drawn first blood at Anfield with a clever set-piece routine in the 23rd minute.
Kevin De Bruyne hit a low corner that Stones met at the near post with a close-range finish.
Liverpool levelled in the 50th minute when City defender Nathan Ake played a poor back-pass that was intercepted by Darwin Nunez.
City keeper Ederson rushed off his line in a desperate bid to avert the danger, but only succeeded in catching Nunez with a reckless lunge.
Mac Allister calmly stroked the spot-kick past Ederson and in a frantic finale, City’s Jeremy Doku hit the post and then escaped another penalty appeal for his high challenge on Liverpool’s goalscorer.
An already seismic showdown was given extra significance by Jurgen Klopp’s last top-flight meeting with City boss Pep Guardiola after his bombshell announcement that he will quit Liverpool at the end of this season.
After jousting for supremacy throughout their reigns, it was fitting that Klopp held Guardiola in a warm embrace at the final whistle of a clash that leaves the destiny of the title still in the balance.
Written by AFP and posted on the42.ie
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You can go studs up into the chest to win the ball these days.. who knew ..
@Brian: I’m a Liverpool fan and it wasn’t a penalty
@Mick Joe: I’m pretty sure I’ve seen plenty of penalties given for less!
@Mick Joe: If that challenge is made anywhere else on the pitch its a free kick 10 times out of 10.. It was a penalty.
@Brian: Absolutely disgraceful from the ref and VAR. Anywhere else on the pitch,at any moment during the game,that’s a clear foul and a booking for a reckless challenge. Because it’s with seconds to go and in the penalty area,officials are afraid to be ‘controversial’ City goal allowed to stand despite McAllister being blocked,van Dijk goal ruled out in Carabao Cup Final. Inconsistency is shocking.
@Mick Joe: I’m a Liverpool fan and that’s a peno all day.
@James Rowan: two wrongs don’t make a right
@Mick Joe: I’m a Liverpool fan and it was a penalty
@Mick Joe: Would it have been a free kick and yellow card anywhere else on the pitch?
@Brian: Exactly,and any earlier in the game.
@Mick Joe: yes it was…that happens anywhere else on the pitch and it’s a foul…VAR bottled it.
@Brian: spot on
@Mick Joe: im a united fan and it pains me to say it, but i reckon it was a pen. High legs is still high legs even if doku tried to pull out.
@Brian: Liverpool fans always moaning. Change the record. If Diaz was any use he’d have the match ball and you wouldn’t be crying.
@marklars81: Didn’t hear any moaning last week when the ref messed up and Liverpool got a late winner against Forrest.
@marklars81: nobody is crying lad.. you seem more upset than me . Lol. It was an observation of an incident in the biggest match of the season so far.. that alright with ya ? Lol
@Denis Ryan: Forrest? Oh,it’s Mr Gump again,showing his intelligence
@Mick Joe:
Know your not…your a troll
@Sean Brannigan: I am a Liverpool fan. Brush up on your spelling and grammar.
Liverpool have been denied stonewall penalties in games v City and Arsenal. Not to mention the perfect goal chalked off in the Spurs game. How many more can be dismissed?
Hate watching these games as a man u fan. Entertaining box to box. Attacking football at its best. Great game. Title race blown wide open. Liverpool unlucky had city on the ropes. Arsenal City on 31st has a even bigger feel now.
City luckly with draw as midfield overrun in the second half. Silva and KDB poor today due to Liverpool midfield play. Ake what a mistake. City really needed a win today so the title is probably gone, but still a surprise might happen.
@did you every wonder: city are still well in this race,whatever the result between city and arsenal just throws another twist,as a pool fan I’m enjoying it,but I have me fingers chewed up to the knuckle.
Liverpool have great chance of league. City Arsenal game will hopefully be a draw also. City are under pressure for something in that now. City’s next few games are tough but their final five games are all guaranteed wins for them on paper unlike Liverpool and Arsenal who have some tricky away games in theirs. Arsenal still have united wolves Brighton Tottenham all away also. More twists to come
We were robbed!
3 teams still in it and still some detractors are saying ‘dull stuff’ in contrast to say Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1…you know, Bayern (not this year) Real/Barca/PSG.I want Liverpool to win, if not them Arsenal, and you know what that’ll be the 6th different team in 10/11 years that has won the PL..say to Bayern/PSG et al.
have your say