JUST THE TWO Premier League matches up for consideration today and, after Bournemouth handed Arsenal a 2-1 defeat in the early game, it’s over to Anfield — where the Reds host Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
The last time these two met back in September, Sadio Mane was sent off in the first half as City ran out 5-0 winners at the Etihad. They remain unbeaten in the league, while Liverpool haven’t suffered a loss since going down 4-1 to Tottenham in October.
It has all the makings of a cracker and we’re 35 minutes away from kick-off.
Liverpool’s £75 million man Virgil van Dijk is OUT for the home side due to a tight hamstring. The Dutchman is only in the door at the club but he’ll be a big loss nonetheless.
Rui Vieira
Rui Vieira
14 Jan 2018
3:32PM
Here at the teams…
Jurgen Klopp makes three changes with Van Dijk replaced by Dejan Lovren, who captains the team. Mohamed Salah, with 23 goals in all competitions this season, returns after missing the last two games due to a groin injury, while Georginio Wijnaldum is also back in the XI.
City boss has recalled a total of six players to his starting line-up – Ederson, Nicolas Otamendi, Fabian Delph, Kyle Walker, Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero.
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Delph, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Sane, Sterling, Aguero.
Subs: Bravo, Zinchenko, Danilo, Mangala, D Silva, Bernardo, Diaz.
Kick-off – We’re up and running. Both teams wearing their traditional home kits.
14 Jan 2018
4:08PM
An early chance for Liverpool as Mane is put through by Firmino. He has to turn back and Salah attempts a strike, which is blocked by Stones. It’s been a high-tempo start, as expected.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain)
Liverpool take the lead! The much-maligned Oxlade-Chamberlain advances forward and drives the ball past Ederson into the bottom corner. Anfield erupts.
14 Jan 2018
4:17PM
Liverpool attack again through Mane, who backheels to Salah. The Egyptian’s chip is headed away and City clear but the Reds are in again moments later. This time, Salah goes it alone and dances by Otamendi but he can only poke wide.
Some Liverpool fans are booing Raheem Sterling every time he touches the ball. Really…?!
14 Jan 2018
4:26PM
Chance for City. Sane creates space for himself with a neat flick inside. The German shoots at goal but see the attempt deflected behind for a corner. It comes to nothing.
14 Jan 2018
4:28PM
Delph is down injured and he will need some treatment after over-stretching. Guardiola has been very animated on the sideline over the past few minutes.
14 Jan 2018
4:33PM
Substitution – Delph has tried to run off that problem but that’s the end of his involvement as Danilo is coming on.
14 Jan 2018
4:38PM
We’re 34 minutes in and Karius has just made his first save of the afternoon. De Bruyne lines one up from distance and lets fly but it’s a routine stop.
City pull level five minutes before half-time. Sane goes by Gomez far too easily after a diagonal pass, before bursting into the box and drilling past Karius, who should be doing better.
14 Jan 2018
4:48PM
Fernandinho has a go from long range but it’s a few yards wide of the post. Two minutes of added time to play.
He has a point you know. Surely a top class goalkeeper should be Liverpool’s main priority now.
Liverpool buying Van Dijk to play in front of Karius or Mignolet is like putting up a load of CCTV cameras outside your house but then leaving the front door wide open.
Second half – The game has restarted and there are no half-time changes to report.
14 Jan 2018
5:10PM
Gomez gets down the right flank and sends a cross into the danger area but Ederson is out quick to save. The Brazilian goalkeeper begins a lightning counter attack, which results in a City corner. From that, Otamendi rises highest to head onto the crossbar. That wasn’t far away.
14 Jan 2018
5:15PM
Pressure from Liverpool. Ederson palms out from a corner and Salah strikes first time. That’s saved by the City keeper, and Oxlade-Chamberlain ends up drilling into the side-netting.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Manchester City (Roberto Firmino)
That’s an unbelievable finish from Firmino. The Brazilian out-muscles Stones before pulling off the most delicate of chips over his compatriot Ederson.
14 Jan 2018
5:21PM
GOAL! Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City (Sadio Mane)
Wow! Two goals in as many minutes and the Reds have stunned City. Salah finds Mane in acres of space and the former Southampton man rifles the ball into the top corner with his left foot.
14 Jan 2018
5:26PM
GOAL! Liverpool 4-1 Manchester City (Mohamed Salah)
Incredible stuff. Ederson, way out from his goal, clears straight to Salah and he lobs the ball perfectly into an empty net. City are at sixes and sevens right now and the unbeaten run is in real danger with 20 minutes to go.
14 Jan 2018
5:38PM
A Man City cross finds Otamendi at the back post but the Argentine defender can’t make sufficient contact to turn it towards goal.
14 Jan 2018
5:39PM
Substitution – Klopp withdraws Can and brings on James Milner.
14 Jan 2018
5:42PM
Liverpool may be 4-1 up but they still look dangerous on the break. Firmino drives forward before cutting back and picking out Wijnaldum, who drags a shot wide.
What a game that was! Liverpool bring Manchester City’s unbeaten run to an end after putting four past the league leaders, but Guardiola’s men very nearly came back to claim a point.
City are still 15 points ahead but Man United could cut it to 12 with a win against Stoke at Old Trafford tomorrow night.
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
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As it happened: Liverpool v Manchester City, Premier League
JUST THE TWO Premier League matches up for consideration today and, after Bournemouth handed Arsenal a 2-1 defeat in the early game, it’s over to Anfield — where the Reds host Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
The last time these two met back in September, Sadio Mane was sent off in the first half as City ran out 5-0 winners at the Etihad. They remain unbeaten in the league, while Liverpool haven’t suffered a loss since going down 4-1 to Tottenham in October.
It has all the makings of a cracker and we’re 35 minutes away from kick-off.
Liverpool’s £75 million man Virgil van Dijk is OUT for the home side due to a tight hamstring. The Dutchman is only in the door at the club but he’ll be a big loss nonetheless.
Here at the teams…
Jurgen Klopp makes three changes with Van Dijk replaced by Dejan Lovren, who captains the team. Mohamed Salah, with 23 goals in all competitions this season, returns after missing the last two games due to a groin injury, while Georginio Wijnaldum is also back in the XI.
City boss has recalled a total of six players to his starting line-up – Ederson, Nicolas Otamendi, Fabian Delph, Kyle Walker, Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero.
If this song hasn’t been stuck in your head all week, where exactly have you been hiding?
Richy Sheehy aka Cork’s biggest Liverpool fan ‘Kevin Murphy’ has become a viral sensation since posting this video earlier this week. He made an appearance on Soccer AM yesterday morning and there are plans for fans to sing his chant, a take on The Archies’ 1969 hit ‘Sugar Sugar’, in The Kop today.
Dreams can indeed come true…
Okay, predictions please…
Poll Results:
There it is now…
Kick-off – We’re up and running. Both teams wearing their traditional home kits.
An early chance for Liverpool as Mane is put through by Firmino. He has to turn back and Salah attempts a strike, which is blocked by Stones. It’s been a high-tempo start, as expected.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain)
Liverpool take the lead! The much-maligned Oxlade-Chamberlain advances forward and drives the ball past Ederson into the bottom corner. Anfield erupts.
Liverpool attack again through Mane, who backheels to Salah. The Egyptian’s chip is headed away and City clear but the Reds are in again moments later. This time, Salah goes it alone and dances by Otamendi but he can only poke wide.
Good stat, that.
Some Liverpool fans are booing Raheem Sterling every time he touches the ball. Really…?!
Chance for City. Sane creates space for himself with a neat flick inside. The German shoots at goal but see the attempt deflected behind for a corner. It comes to nothing.
Delph is down injured and he will need some treatment after over-stretching. Guardiola has been very animated on the sideline over the past few minutes.
Substitution – Delph has tried to run off that problem but that’s the end of his involvement as Danilo is coming on.
We’re 34 minutes in and Karius has just made his first save of the afternoon. De Bruyne lines one up from distance and lets fly but it’s a routine stop.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City (Leroy Sane)
City pull level five minutes before half-time. Sane goes by Gomez far too easily after a diagonal pass, before bursting into the box and drilling past Karius, who should be doing better.
Fernandinho has a go from long range but it’s a few yards wide of the post. Two minutes of added time to play.
Half-time: Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City
He has a point you know. Surely a top class goalkeeper should be Liverpool’s main priority now.
Second half – The game has restarted and there are no half-time changes to report.
Gomez gets down the right flank and sends a cross into the danger area but Ederson is out quick to save. The Brazilian goalkeeper begins a lightning counter attack, which results in a City corner. From that, Otamendi rises highest to head onto the crossbar. That wasn’t far away.
Pressure from Liverpool. Ederson palms out from a corner and Salah strikes first time. That’s saved by the City keeper, and Oxlade-Chamberlain ends up drilling into the side-netting.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Manchester City (Roberto Firmino)
That’s an unbelievable finish from Firmino. The Brazilian out-muscles Stones before pulling off the most delicate of chips over his compatriot Ederson.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City (Sadio Mane)
Wow! Two goals in as many minutes and the Reds have stunned City. Salah finds Mane in acres of space and the former Southampton man rifles the ball into the top corner with his left foot.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-1 Manchester City (Mohamed Salah)
Incredible stuff. Ederson, way out from his goal, clears straight to Salah and he lobs the ball perfectly into an empty net. City are at sixes and sevens right now and the unbeaten run is in real danger with 20 minutes to go.
A Man City cross finds Otamendi at the back post but the Argentine defender can’t make sufficient contact to turn it towards goal.
Substitution – Klopp withdraws Can and brings on James Milner.
Liverpool may be 4-1 up but they still look dangerous on the break. Firmino drives forward before cutting back and picking out Wijnaldum, who drags a shot wide.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-2 Manchester City (Bernardo Silva)
City have one back and it’s substitute Silva who finishes off from close range after good work from Aguero.
Another change – Salah’s work for the night is done and Adam Lallana comes on for the final few minutes.
Just four minutes of added time left now.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City (Ilkay Gundogan)
There’s only a goal in it! Aguero clips a ball into the box and Gundogan chests before poking home. A nervy closing minutes for Liverpool.
Full-time: Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City
What a game that was! Liverpool bring Manchester City’s unbeaten run to an end after putting four past the league leaders, but Guardiola’s men very nearly came back to claim a point.
City are still 15 points ahead but Man United could cut it to 12 with a win against Stoke at Old Trafford tomorrow night.
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
‘If I was Stoke, I’d be clamouring to appoint O’Neill’ – Ireland’s Jon Walters
Van Dijk is ‘the best centre-back Liverpool have had since Alan Hansen’
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