Liverpool are still in the midst of an injury crisis but a patched-up side were still deserving of a point – and maybe more – against Manchester City in a crucial top-of-the-table Premier League clash at Anfield on Sunday. Here we run through five of the biggest talking points.
SALAH BACK IN BUSINESS – LET’S HOPE IT LASTS
Jurgen Klopp revealed before the game that it was never a consideration to start with Mohamed Salah from the beginning here.
Such has been his injury trouble, no further risks can be taken with the Egyptian’s fitness.
He already has one aborted comeback on his record this season, suffering a relapse of his hamstring problems following the match against Brentford last month, and it was clear from the outset that Klopp was not prepared to face the consequences all over again.
Instead Salah was brought off the bench in the second half, when City were rocking, and immediately set about showing Liverpool what they had been missing. His through ball to Luis Diaz was begging to be finished but the Colombian, not for the first time, was found wanting in front of goal.
The 31-year-old had only played twice since New Year’s Day before today, and each of those appearances were only from the bench. He now has the opportunity for a full reset before the end of the season with Egypt doing Liverpool a favour by not calling him up for the international friendly tournament taking place towards the end of this month.
Let’s hope he can stay fit and become decisive.
FORCEFIELD ANFIELD
It’s hard to pin down a reason why City suddenly began to get on the back foot here. They were 1-0 up and in charge with Liverpool barely having a threat on Ederson’s goal throughout the first half.
It’s not a position from which they usually surrender their dominance, no matter the opposition. But Pep Guardiola’s team were far from comfortable after the break.
Ederson was rattled into a fatal error, Erling Haaland barely had a sniff and Kevin De Bruyne was reduced to arguing with his manager about being taken off. It was a very “Un-City-like” second half.
But one element which surely must be considered is the power of Anfield. The treble winners appeared to freeze in the atmosphere with their players coming under increasing pressure and being forced into some uncomfortable moments.
At times like this the famous old ground can become the 12th man and, in the midst of an injury crisis such as the one Liverpool are suffering, it needs to be.
“The atmosphere in the stadium, the atmosphere our people can create… am I allowed to say it is second to none or is then anybody offended by that?” Klopp said before the match. And he was right.
Even with the Reds kicking into the Kop during the first half, having again been turned around by City, there was no holding back in the stands.
“Liverpool have got some sort of forcefield around this ground,” was the conclusion of Micah Richards on Sky Sports.
Those inside the ground deserve their credit for making the place a cauldron on Sunday and helping preserve a precious point in the title race.
ANOTHER PGMOL APOLOGY INCOMING?
Did Michael Oliver and his matchday team bottle it?
There is no question that Liverpool should have had a second penalty in this game. It came right at the end of injury time with the Reds on the attack and City defending inside their own box.
The ball was between Jeremy Doku and Alexis Mac Allister when the Belgian made a clumsy attempt to play it as it bounced around.
He missed it completely and instead caught Mac Allister flush in the chest.
We’re not talking “did he catch him?” here, we are talking full-on Nigel de Jong v Xabi Alonso in the 2010 World Cup final. Stonewall.
It’s hard to believe a full team of officials could not only see the incident in real time and decline to give it but also run it back and still decide it wasn’t a penalty.
What reason have they got for not awarding it?
This is an incident that could have serious repercussions in the title race. Liverpool edged forward at the top of the table as a result of this draw but it could and should have been so much more.
City should be eating their dust. Instead, Pep Guardiola is counting his blessings.
Klopp justifiably marched towards Michael Oliver at the end of the game to discuss the penalty.
“I think it’s worth talking about it,” he said to Sky Sports afterwards.
He also queried the “high bar” threshold for the usage of VAR.
“Isn’t it there for just making the right decision?” he asked.
“In all positions on the pitch, it’s 100 percent a foul and it’s a yellow card. For all football people it’s a penalty.”
DIAZ HAS THE GAME IN HIS HANDS
Three times in the second half Luis Diaz had this game in the palm of his hands, or more accurately, on his boots.
He was in goalscoring positions to die for with the Premier League title races hanging in the balance and each time he couldn’t find the finish.
You can only imagine the eyes of Liverpool strikers of the past lighting up with the quality of delivery on offer here, particularly the one from Salah’s through ball.
But Diaz was found lacking, with City on the ropes and a rookie goalkeeper in net.
