Premier League Ponderings: Klopp masterminds city flop
The biggest game of the Premier
League weekend, in which top of
the table Manchester City hosted
a resurgent Liverpool, served up
some of the best entertainment that
the season has seen so far.
Both teams set up to attack, with the hosts needing the three points to hold their lead at the top of the table, and the visitors attempting to close the gap between them and the top four places. Both on paper and on form, Manchester City and the supporters were in a confident mood.
Both teams entered the match with significant injury lists. Manchester City was without two crucial men in central defence: captain Vincent Kompany and playmaker David Silva.
Liverpool recently added defender Mamadou Sakho to an injury list that already included their captain, Jordan Henderson. Both teams however did see the return of star strikers, with City’s Sergio Aguero returning to the starting lineup, and Daniel Sturridge to the Liverpool bench.
Raheem Sterling, featuring against his former club for the first time since his big-money move over the summer, joined Aguero. Aguero was also joined by new arrival Kevin De Bruyne, with Martin Demichelis and Eliaquim Mangala starting in central defense.
Liverpool lined up without a recognized striker, utilizing the same strategy that saw them beat Chelsea 2-1 two rounds before. They deployed a front three of attacking midfielders in Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino, with the scrutinized Dejan Lovren coming in for Sakho.
Despite Manchester City’s nine-match winning streak and usual home dominance, it was Liverpool who started the brightest. Their fast start was rewarded when Mangala turned the ball into his own net after Coutinho and Firmino combined to turn the ball into the box with seven minutes on the clock.
The same two players combined in the 23rd minute, with Firmino bamboozling the City defense before setting up Coutinho for his fifth goal of the season. Manchester City’s defense were utterly lost and the Brazilian duo struck again nine minutes later, trading assists and netting Firmino his first Liverpool goal.
Aguero gave the silent stadium something to cheer about on the stroke of halftime, showing how much he’s been missed when he curled the ball into the net 20 yards out. Another good save by Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet would be as good as it got for the hosts, when Liverpool’s centre back Martin Skrtel hit a beautiful half volley into the net with nine minutes left to spare.
For City, the lost points saw them fall to third place in the Premier League. As for Liverpool, they continue to recover from their poor start to the season, sitting in ninth place on goal difference, but now only facing a six-point gap to the top four and a favourable run into the new year.
City faces a light run, with an away trip to Arsenal, the only game they could potentially lose. Though as this season continues to prove, you really can’t predict what’s going to happen in this league.
Both teams set up to attack, with the hosts needing the three points to hold their lead at the top of the table, and the visitors attempting to close the gap between them and the top four places. Both on paper and on form, Manchester City and the supporters were in a confident mood.
Both teams entered the match with significant injury lists. Manchester City was without two crucial men in central defence: captain Vincent Kompany and playmaker David Silva.
Liverpool recently added defender Mamadou Sakho to an injury list that already included their captain, Jordan Henderson. Both teams however did see the return of star strikers, with City’s Sergio Aguero returning to the starting lineup, and Daniel Sturridge to the Liverpool bench.
Raheem Sterling, featuring against his former club for the first time since his big-money move over the summer, joined Aguero. Aguero was also joined by new arrival Kevin De Bruyne, with Martin Demichelis and Eliaquim Mangala starting in central defense.
Liverpool lined up without a recognized striker, utilizing the same strategy that saw them beat Chelsea 2-1 two rounds before. They deployed a front three of attacking midfielders in Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino, with the scrutinized Dejan Lovren coming in for Sakho.
Despite Manchester City’s nine-match winning streak and usual home dominance, it was Liverpool who started the brightest. Their fast start was rewarded when Mangala turned the ball into his own net after Coutinho and Firmino combined to turn the ball into the box with seven minutes on the clock.
The same two players combined in the 23rd minute, with Firmino bamboozling the City defense before setting up Coutinho for his fifth goal of the season. Manchester City’s defense were utterly lost and the Brazilian duo struck again nine minutes later, trading assists and netting Firmino his first Liverpool goal.
Aguero gave the silent stadium something to cheer about on the stroke of halftime, showing how much he’s been missed when he curled the ball into the net 20 yards out. Another good save by Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet would be as good as it got for the hosts, when Liverpool’s centre back Martin Skrtel hit a beautiful half volley into the net with nine minutes left to spare.
For City, the lost points saw them fall to third place in the Premier League. As for Liverpool, they continue to recover from their poor start to the season, sitting in ninth place on goal difference, but now only facing a six-point gap to the top four and a favourable run into the new year.
City faces a light run, with an away trip to Arsenal, the only game they could potentially lose. Though as this season continues to prove, you really can’t predict what’s going to happen in this league.
