Trent Alexander-Arnold came to Liverpool’s rescue with a late equalizer at the Etihad Stadium, ending Manchester City’s 23-match winning streak at home. The top-two clash in the Premier League concluded in a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expressed his dissatisfaction with the early kick-off time, considering the recent international break that involved players from both teams in World Cup qualifying action in South America just over 72 hours ago.
Erling Haaland scored his 50th Premier League goal, putting City in the lead, but Alexander-Arnold’s impressive strike in the 80th minute secured a point for Liverpool.
The draw leaves just one point between the two teams, and Arsenal has the opportunity to claim the top spot if they win against Brentford later in the day.
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Klopp acknowledged the challenge of preparing for such a crucial match with limited training, stating, “Preparing for the most difficult game of the season with one session is really a challenge.”
City manager Pep Guardiola praised his team’s performance in restricting Liverpool’s chances but acknowledged the lack of precision in the final third. Guardiola said, “Maybe we missed the last pass a little bit, but they defended really well.”
Despite Alisson Becker’s error leading to Haaland’s goal, Liverpool’s goalkeeper escaped further punishment, and a VAR check upheld the decision to award him a soft free-kick after a later spill. Alexander-Arnold’s late goal salvaged a point for Liverpool against the run of play.
City pushed for a winner, with Haaland coming close in added time, but the match ended in a draw, marking the first time Guardiola’s men failed to win at home since December 31 last year.
Tensions rose after the final whistle, with Klopp intervening in an altercation between Darwin Nunez and Guardiola, but both coaches played down the significance of the incident.
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