Man City vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result and final score after Riyad Mahrez wastes huge late chance
Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool: Follow the reaction from a thrilling draw in the Premier League as the leaders stay ahead in the title race
Manchester City and Liverpool shared the points in a thrilling draw at the Etihad as the visitors equalised twice to keep the title race alive, despite the Premier League leaders maintaining their slender advantage.
It was City who struck first in a lightening start as Kevin De Bruyne skipped past Fabinho and fired a deflected effort past goalkeeper Alisson inside five minutes, but the Reds responded well and Diogo Jota pulled them level less than 10 minutes later.
Gabriel Jesus, a surprise inclusion in Pep Guardiola’s team, fired the hosts back in front before the break as he latched onto the end of Joao Cancelo’s excellent delivery. Liverpool hit back again, though, as Sadio Mane finished Mohamed Salah’s brilliant pass to equalise just 47 seconds after the restart.
Liverpool were much improved after the break but were handed a lifeline when Raheem Sterling’s goal was disallowed by VAR for offside, before Salah saw a curling effort deflect wide. Riyad Mahrez hit the post with a late free kick, before wasting a huge chance as the breathless contest ended level.
Follow all the reaction and updates as Manchester City and Liverpool shared the points in this potential Premier League decider:
Manchester City vs Liverpool
Will Sadio Mane be celebrating with a win later today?
Manchester City vs Liverpool: Early team news
Manchester City full-back Kyle Walker is back in contention after serving a European suspension in midweek but Ruben Dias and Cole Palmer remain sidelined by injuries.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says Fabinho will be fit despite suffering a cut in a clash of heads with Benfica’s Nicolas Otamendi on Tuesday and that the Reds have no further injury concerns.
Both managers are expected to name strong starting XIs in what could prove to be one of the defining matches of the season.
Premier League title run-in: who has the best fixtures – Manchester City or Liverpool?
After initially appearing to be done and dusted by Christmas, it now seems as though there may be a Premier League title race after all.
Manchester City have hardly put a foot wrong since the start of the season, dropping points in just three games since the end of October, but Liverpool are right up behind them.
After a difficult winter, Jurgen Klopp’s side have dragged themselves to within one point of the defending champions with a run of 10 consecutive league wins.
Both have their destiny in their own hands. Both have eight games remaining too, including Sunday’s crucial meeting at the Etihad.
If there’s a winner, they will likely be the favourites going forward. But even then, there will still be a lot of football left to play and a lot of matches that could decide the race.
Who has the best fixtures in the title race run-in – Manchester City or Liverpool?
Where will the title be won and lost?
‘Liverpool are the hardest team to play against’ says Foden
Phil Foden has bought into the hype around this afternoon’s clash between Man City and Liverpool and says he is looking forward to playing in another big game against a team he has previously had success against.
“Yeah, I’ve scored three in three, but I don’t think it so much to do with Liverpool, I just think it is a big game and I just like playing in big games,” he said. “I like the pressure and I feel like I play better. It is just another game for me and I just want to express myself.
“The rivalry is massive. Over the past four years it has grown and now it has become a really big thing. We have both been fighting for titles over the past few seasons.
“We have been the two strongest teams in the past few years and it is a rivalry where we know we are both great teams and we can both win on our day.
“I would say they are the hardest team to play against.”
Manchester City vs Liverpool
Liverpool have already won the Carabao Cup this season and can still win a historic quadruple, while rivals Man City are also chasing success in the Champions League and FA Cup as well as the Premier League.
"There is a lot to go for and for those you need momentum and you need rhythm," said Reds boss Jurgen Klopp whose team have won 17 of their last 18 matches across all competitions.
That sole defeat being a 1-0 loss to Inter Milan in the second leg of the last-16 Champions League tie - Liverpool progressed 2-1 on aggregate.
Pep Guardiola names Jurgen Klopp ‘biggest rival’ of his managerial career
Pep Guardiola claims his rivalry with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool is the most intense he has experienced during his managerial career
The Manchester City boss famously clashed with Jose Mourinho when he and the Portuguese were the respective managers of Spain’s big two, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Yet he feels the level of competition City have faced from Liverpool in recent years has been a notch above anything he had to deal when he was competing with Real for LaLiga and Champions League titles.
Pep Guardiola names Jurgen Klopp ‘biggest rival’ of his managerial career
The two will go head-to-head again when title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool meet on Sunday
Manchester City vs Liverpool
This match will be the 50th Premier League meeting between the two clubs. Of the previous 49 games, Liverpool have won 20 and Man City 11.
The Reds have drawn 11 times at City in the Premier League, with only their fixture at Everton (12) producing more.
Michael Owen scored a hat-trick at Maine Road in September 2002 and is the only Liverpool player to ever score a treble away at City.
Roberto Firmino’s first Liverpool goal was in the club’s last league win at Etihad Stadium – November 2015.
Jurgen Klopp on enjoying the ride
Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp, has urged his players to enjoy this period of success and to not only focus on the desire to challenge and win trophies but also relish each game as it comes.
He also spoke about Pep Guardiola and how both men will look back on this rivalry after they retire saying:
“Funnily enough I spoke about this before, that after we both finish careers we might meet somewhere and sit there for hours and hours and hours and just speak about the different things what we thought before this game and that game and this game.
“It would be interesting, no doubt about that. But I really think we should, as a club, enjoy the ride because it is so special. I know we are in a situation where we just do it like: Benfica away, [done], but no, no, no: it is Benfica away, it is massive. We won all Champions League away games in this campaign so far if I am right, which is absolutely, ‘Wow, OK that happened.’
“So it is not easy always to really feel the joy, I can understand, but we should remind ourselves from time to time. I don’t have to remind myself, I could not be happier.
“Today even the weather is great [and] I woke up this morning, laptop, have a look at City playing against us in the home game. Very interesting game and in these moments I really appreciate my job because it is exactly what I want to do. Then, obviously, you realise it is a job to do, they are a handful.
“And we are as well and that is what is constantly in my mind, I cannot stop thinking it. All what I say about City, I mean: they are great, Pep is the best coach in the world, no problem at all with that.
“But I immediately say, ‘Yeah, I always wanted to be the coach of the team that can beat the best team in the world’ and actually I achieved that as well somehow.
“Now we have to make sure Sunday is the day and there is a little bit of work to do. But yeah, we have time, nothing else to do, so let’s give it a try.”
Manchester City vs Liverpool predicted line-ups: Team news ahead of Premier League today
Manchester City host Liverpool this afternoon in the biggest game of the Premier League season so far.
Liverpool are chasing an unprecedent quadruple this season after having won the Carabao Cup in February and 10 Premier League wins in a row since January has seen Jurgen Klopp’s side close the gap to leaders City to just one point.
Pep Guardiola’s team have aspirations of a treble as they look to defend their Premier League crown and win a first Champions League title. Liverpool and City also meet in the semi-finals of the FA Cup next week and could face each other if they both reach the Champions League final at the end of May.
Here’s everything you need to know before the match today:
Team news and predicted line-ups ahead of Manchester City vs Liverpool
Everything you need to know ahead of the biggest Premier League match of the season
How Man City and Liverpool compare to last time they fought for title
Manchester City’s clash with Liverpool on Sunday will go a long way to shaping the repeat of their unforgettable title fight three years ago.
Hosts City go into the game on 73 points, one ahead of Liverpool having played 30 games.
At the same stage in 2018-19, each team were a solitary point better off than they are this time around and here we look at how their dominant season this time around compares.
How Man City and Liverpool compare to last time they fought for title
The Premier League’s top two have renewed their rivalry from the 2018-19 season
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