Liverpool were back in action after scraping a 2-1 victory over Burnley on 12th of March. The blue half of Manchester were the opponents in the Sunday afternoon late kick off. Liverpool have been really good value for money against the top 6 so far this season, in fact they have been so good that they are top of that mini league when you compare all the results.
The match saw both sides wanting to take all three points home to reaffirm their claim on the Champions League places.
There was only one change for Liverpool, seeing Roberto Firmino introduced to the line up after missing out by injury against Burnley. As for Manchester City, they were unchanged from their previous Premier League game.
The game was as feisty as one would have expected with both sides throwing tackles and giving the defenses something to think about. To one’s surprise there was only one shot on target in the first half when Roberto Firmino’s central shot was parried away by Willy Caballero.
Right after the break the ever reliable James Milner opened the scoring for Liverpool from the penalty spot after Gael Clichy fouled Firmino in the box. James Milner slotted it bottom right sending Caballero the other way. This made it seven successful penalties for James Milner this season.
John Stones went close from a free header as a substandard City tried to improve a dire head-to-head record against Liverpool that had seen them lose five of the previous six meetings between the sides.
Liverpool almost had a second at the hour mark but Caballero rushed out to block a low shot from Firmino as the visitors broke free.
City levelled the game in the 69th minute through Ageuro who poked home a beautifully crafted cross from Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne. This goal was Aguero’s seventh from his last seven outings, not bad for a player considered to be out of favour.
De Bruyne then hit the post from 10 yards out as Aguero slipped while trying to finish. Adam Lallana missed an absolute sitter in the other end as Firmino had put it on a plate for Lallana. How he will rue that chance.
At the death City came close to clinching all three points though both clear cut chances were blazed wide of the post.
Liverpool’s next league fixture is the Merseyside derby against Everton, which promises to be an excellent affair given the form of the local rivals.