Liverpool vs Manchester City LIVE: Riyad Mahrez misses penalty with awful effort to let Reds off the hook

Re-live the latest from the Premier League fixture at Anfield

Liverpool 2018/19 Premier League profile

In a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash, Liverpool and Manchester City could not be separated at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

The Reds, after their seven-game winning start to the season, have now not won in four matches, but they will have been relieved to escape the encounter with a draw after Virgil van Dijk conceded a late penalty.

However, the surprise decision to let Riyad Mahrez take the penalty came back to haunt the reigning champions as the Algerian blazed his effort high over the crossbar,leaving City top of the table but only ahead of both Chelsea and Liverpool on goal difference. Re-live the live action below.

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What time does it start?

Liverpool vs Manchester City kicks off at 4:30pm (BST) on Sunday 7th October.

Where can I watch it?

The match will be shown live on Sky Sports’ Main Event and Premier League channels from 4:15pm.

Sky Sports subscribers can also watch the game via the SkyGo app.

Highlights will be shown at 10:30pm on BBC One.

It’s a big game for…

Mo Salah: Despite his impressive goal-scoring run against City - having scored in the past three matches between the teams - Salah comes into this game amidst his worst form in a Liverpool shirt. Last season’s Premier League Golden Boot winner has scored one goal in seven matches, and was taken off in the 60th minute last week against Chelsea with his team needing a goal. Unquestionably needs a big performance.

Salah is only one goal behind his total at the same point last season (Reuters)

Weird /best stat…

9: Despite scoring in six straight appearances against Liverpool at the Etihad, Sergio Aguero has never scored at Anfield in nine matches for both City and Atletico Madrid.

Remember when…

Last season’s Premier League encounter at Anfield was arguably the match of the year. City lost their 22-game long unbeaten run in the league, as Liverpool’s attack swarmed all over City in a second-half rampage. Pep Guardiola’s team clawed back two late goals to set up a frantic finish, but Jurgen Klopp’s men held on for a memorable victory.

Player to watch…

David Silva: The 32-year-old scored Man City’s late winner against Hoffenheim in midweek, and remains an integral part to the way Pep Guardiola’s side play. Liverpool’s attacking philosophy means there will be space for Silva to exploit, with the little Spaniard’s intricate creativity vital for Man City’s forward-line to thrive. Alongside name-sake Bernardo, the left-footed duo hold the key to unlocking Liverpool's defence on Sunday.

David Silva closes down Martin Montoya (Getty)

Past three-meetings…

• Manchester City 1 (Jesus) Liverpool 2 (Salah, Firmino), Champions League, April 2018
• Liverpool 3 (Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Firmino) Manchester City 0, Champions League, April 2018
• Liverpool 4 (Oxlade-Chamberlain, Firmino, Mane, Salah) Manchester City 3 (Sane, Bernardo Silva, Gundogan), Premier League, January 2018

Form guide…

• Liverpool: WWWLDL
• Manchester City: WLWWWW

Odds…

• Liverpool to win: 31/20
• Manchester City to win: 7/4
• Draw: 5/2

(Odds provided by 888 Sport)

Key Points

• Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City
• Riyad Mahrez blazes late penalty effort over the crossbar to cost City victory
• Virgil van Dijk fouled Leroy Sane to concede the spotkick
• Draw leaves City top ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool on goal difference

[5 October 2018 12:59 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Check back here on Sunday morning as we begin building up to the biggest game of the Premier League season so far: Liverpool vs Manchester City.

[7 October 2018 10:43 · Jack Watson]

The big one

Hello and welcome to the Independent's live coverage of the Premier league's main event. We can't promise similar drama to the Khabib vs McGregor fight, but this is certainly a fixture fitting of a similar bill. 

Stick around for the latest updates ahead of kick-off, including team news from around 3:30.

[7 October 2018 12:35 · Jack Watson]

Klopp desperate for De Bruyne to play

"I really like him, as a player. His talent, skills, attitude and then with all those things, decision making. He uses the right skills at the right moment, although of course David Silva [his City team-mate] is not too bad at that either. 

[7 October 2018 15:28 · Jack Watson]

Liverpool vs Manchester City is a growing rivalry which promises an answer to a season-defining question

Recent results – not to mention performances – has now ensured that there is a defining question in this developing rivalry, which could also prove to be the defining issue of the season

[7 October 2018 15:31 · Jack Watson]

Just how far is Klopp inside Guardiola’s head?

Pep Guardiola is not naturally a compromiser but against Jurgen Klopp his convictions buckled. Will there be evidence of that this afternoon?

[7 October 2018 15:33 · Jack Watson]

Klopp relaxed over Salah form

 “Obviously, expectations changed, that’s normal. He set completely new standards last year [for goalscoring], but for all the rest [of his game] it’s what he did last year.

“Nobody expected 10 goals after five, six or seven games [last season], so it was a nice surprise. Each striker could write a book about these moments when you score without knowing how exactly it works, how you did it, with each ball in a perfect way and stuff like that. 

“It’s so rare when it happens like that; 98 per cent of a striker’s career is the hardest work and only two per cent is the kind of easy going stuff.

“It’s all good. Last year, I don’t think he was a big story from the beginning to talk about. Then it started to become a slightly positive story, ‘wow, not bad’ and then ‘oh, even better’ and stuff like that. It all was a surprise."

[7 October 2018 15:35 · Jack Watson]

Team news

No Kevin De Bruyne for Manchester City

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Gomez, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Milner, Salah, Mane, Firmino

Subs: Mignolet, Matip, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Keita, Shaqiri, Sturridge

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy, Fernandinho, Silva (C), Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling, Aguero

Subs: Muric, Danilo, Kompany, Sané, Otamendi, Jesus, Foden

[7 October 2018 16:29 · Jack Watson]

Teams are out

Here they come, the atmosphere at Anfield is everything you it is, there's an appropriate hype about this game, lets hope it lives up to its enormous expectation. We'll be underway in a couple of minutes!

[7 October 2018 16:29 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

So both sides making alterations to their tried and tested back fours. How will John Stones and Aymeric Laporte gel? Trent Alexander-Arnold cruelly dropped on his birthday, with Joe Gomez shifted to right-back and Dejan Lovren brought in.

This should be a corker. 

[7 October 2018 16:32 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

The big one. 

Liverpool vs Manchester City has begun.