In a thrilling Saturday clash, Liverpool secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw with table-toppers Manchester City, thanks to a crucial 80th-minute goal from Trent Alexander-Arnold. The draw leaves Juergen Klopp’s team just a point behind in the closely contested Premier League title race.
The first-half action saw Erling Haaland, the prolific striker for defending champions City, giving his team the lead at the Etihad Stadium and achieving a remarkable feat by becoming the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals. However, Liverpool capitalized on an opportunity in the 79th minute when Haaland missed a close-range chance. The visitors swiftly launched an attack, and Alexander-Arnold’s precision beat City goalkeeper Ederson, leveling the score.
This draw marked the end of City’s extraordinary 23-game winning streak at the Etihad Stadium across all competitions under the management of Pep Guardiola. Despite the draw, City remains at the top of the table with 29 points after 13 games, while Liverpool closely follows with 28 points. The possibility of Arsenal claiming the top spot looms if they triumph over Brentford later in the day.
Haaland’s opening goal in the 27th minute came from a low effort at the edge of the box, sparked by a misjudged clearance from Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson. Nathan Ake intercepted the ball and set up Haaland, whose shot found the bottom corner despite Alisson’s attempt to save it.
The historic goal, achieved in just 48 games, broke the record held by former Manchester United and Newcastle striker Andy Cole, who reached 50 goals in 65 games. Celebrations were evident in the executive seats, where Haaland’s father, former City player Alf-Inge, expressed joy.
Despite the initial advantage, Haaland was left to rue missed opportunities in the second half, as Liverpool punished City. Alisson received another let-off when he spilled a corner, leading to goals from Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias. However, a VAR check upheld the referee’s decision to award a soft free-kick to the Liverpool ‘keeper.
Klopp sought a response from his bench, introducing Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, and Ryan Gravenberch. Diaz’s involvement in Liverpool’s leveller, ten minutes from time, showcased his impact. The Colombian found Salah, who set up Alexander-Arnold for a fantastic finish into the bottom corner.
In the closing minutes, City pushed for a winner but were thwarted, marking their first failure to win at home since December 31 last year. The draw sets the stage for an enthralling continuation of the Premier League season.
Avinash Poojari is the owner of ComClone News website. He is an accomplished author specializing in the field of information technology. With a Master’s degree in Information Technology, Avinash hails from Mumbai. Passionate about researching breaking news, he is dedicated to providing accurate and up-to-date information to his readers.