Manchester City survived a second-half barrage from Liverpool to hold on for a 1-1 draw in a thrilling encounter at Anfield which leaves Arsenal top of the Premier League.
The final Premier League meeting between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola lived up to its billing as the injury-hit hosts roared back from John Stones’ clever first-half opener from a corner.
Alexis Mac Allister scored the leveller from the penalty spot early in the second period after Ederson had wiped out Darwin Nunez from Nathan Ake’s poor backpass, injuring himself in the process.
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John Stones opened the scoring from a brilliant corner routine
Klopp’s side, with Ibrahima Konate added to their injury list and with Mohamed Salah only fit enough to feature as a substitute, had been second best in the first half but dominated the rest of the game, missing a succession of chances, with Luis Diaz the main culprit.
A pulsating contest, which featured Kevin De Bruyne angrily remonstrating with Guardiola after being substituted, almost took another twist when City substitute Jeremy Doku struck a low shot against the inside of the post in the 89th minute.
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Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty brought Liverpool level
The City winger then survived a VAR check for a penalty after a high-boot challenge on Mac Allister deep in stoppage time.
In the end, though, the two sides could not be separated, the draw leaving Arsenal top of the table ahead of second-placed Liverpool on goal difference, with City a point further back in third place.
How the epic encounter played out
Manchester City sought to dampen the feverish atmosphere early on, controlling possession and twice calling Kelleher into action through shots from Julian Alvarez and De Bruyne.
Liverpool held out, though, and soon started applying pressure at the other end, with Conor Bradley’s wicked low cross flashing just beyond the onrushing Nunez at the back post.
It seemed the hosts were moving into the ascendency but it all changed with City’s inspired corner routine for the opener as Ake blocked off Mac Allister at the near post and Stones got away from Nunez to turn in De Bruyne’s low delivery.
John Stones celebrates his opener from a Kevin De Bruyne corner
Liverpool tried to respond, with Dominik Szoboszlai heading wastefully over from Harvey Elliott’s floated cross and Diaz firing a low shot narrowly wide, but Nunez summed up their frustration, straying offside on five separate occasions in the first half alone.
Meanwhile, at the other end, City continued to look the more threatening side, with De Bruyne shooting wide and Alvarez firing over the bar before a low cross by Kyle Walker flew just out of reach of De Bruyne following a rapid breakaway in first-half stoppage time.
A frantic game became even wilder after the break, with Liverpool winning their penalty after less than two minutes as Ederson came sprinting out of his goal and clattered Nunez as he threatened to latch onto Ake’s carelessly underhit backpass.
Ederson fouled Darwin Nunez for Liverpool’s penalty
It was shoddy play all-round from City and Ederson injured himself in the process, the goalkeeper having to make way for Stefan Ortega after being beaten by Mac Allister’s well-struck penalty.
Liverpool were indebted to Kelleher for denying Foden soon after that, but from that point on the hosts peppered the City goal, the momentum of the game completely reversed from the first half.
Ederson leaves the pitch after suffering his injury
Diaz, a constant menace to City, could easily have had a hat-trick, his poor touch preventing him from going through on goal on one occasion before he clipped wide from a sensational Salah pass and then failed to get a shot off from Nunez’s inviting cut-back.
Salah, Mac Allister and Nunez had chances too as Liverpool, roared on by the home crowd, laid siege to the City goal, with Ortega making a particularly smart save from the returning Egyptian.
City’s frustration was clear as De Bruyne, outstanding in the first half, reacted angrily to his substitution, continuing to hold a heated discussion with Guardiola even after taking his seat.
Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister celebrates with team-mates
Liverpool finished the second half with 12 shots to City’s three but the visitors almost nicked the three points when Doku’s effort bounced back off the post.
The Belgian then had a scare up at the other end in stoppage time when his high boot on Mac Allister prompted a VAR check, but he was cleared by the officials, allowing City to hold on for a draw in another thrilling chapter of an epic rivalry.
Van Dijk: Bittersweet result
Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk to Sky Sports: “The second half was much better than the first 15 or 20 minutes of the first half, I think.
“Every time they could find the free man in the pocket and we should have closed the middle a bit better to make it a bit easier.
“But how we reacted was good. We had chances but we couldn’t convert them into the winner.
“Overall, bittersweet. Based on the second half, you feel like you should have won it. But we also can’t deny that with their quality, we can’t deny that they could also [have] finished off.
“I can go on, but it’s so close after the game. It’s a bit bittersweet at the moment.
“To come away with a point is not a bad situation so we have to focus on next and be positive.
“And we have to enjoy the ride. If you look back at where we were 12 months ago, the consistency that was missing, and look where we are right now. That’s something we can’t take for granted.”
Nunez’s offsides, De Bruyne’s assist – Opta stats
- Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez was flagged offside five times in this match; the joint-most by a player in a Premier League game this season.
- For the second time in the last three seasons, Liverpool and Manchester City have drawn both of their meetings in a Premier League campaign (2021-22 and 2023-24).
- Liverpool had 19 shots – their most in a Premier League meeting with City since February 2013. Twelve of those shots came in the second half, which was the most Man City have faced after half time in a league game since May 2021 against Brighton.
- Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in 13 goals in 12 appearances for Manchester City in 2024 (two goals, 11 assists); the most of any Premier League player across all competitions this year.
- Alexis Mac Allister has scored nine of his 10 penalties in the Premier League, including each of the last eight in a row. Meanwhile, Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson has only kept out one of the last 22 spot kicks he has faced in the competition.
What’s next?
Liverpool are back at Anfield on Thursday for their second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie against Sparta Prague. Kick-off 8pm. The Reds then travel to Manchester United three days later on Sunday March 17 for their FA Cup quarter-final. Kick-off 3.30pm.
Manchester City host Newcastle in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday March 16, kick-off 5.30pm. Arsenal then visit the Etihad Stadium after the international break on Sunday March 31, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 4.30pm.
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