Liverpool 1 - 0 Manchester City

Reds: Salah 76’
Sportswashers: N/A

Pre-Match

Will Manchester City finally get a win in front on an Anfield crowd? I guess we’ll see. Liverpool come into the match already on the backfoot. Poor league form has left the Reds stranded in the lower half of the table, three points behind the team they beat 9-0.

Additionally, because of the injuries to Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konaté, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool will have to rely on Joe Gomez at center back and James Milner at right back. Gomez’s last stint as center back ended after being hooked at halftime after a shocking half against Napoli. And last year James Milner massively struggled against City at right back.

Regardless, we’ll have to make do and try to get a result. This City match is a bit of a free hit, but Liverpool will need to find a way to play themselves into form before the Top 4 disappear over the horizon.

First Half

It’s a good start from the Reds, creating some early pressure and winning a corner in the first couple of minutes. Unfortunately the corner is easily cut out, and the match quickly settles into a midfield battle, with neither side really having much success playing through the other’s press.

Liverpool have nearly gotten into trouble a couple of times, when an errant pass in the defensive third has been cut out and immediately passed on to a ready and waiting Haaland.

The Reds have tried countering a couple of times on City, and have been close to getting in. Unfortunately, we’re really missing Luis Diaz, generally, but especially for his pace on the counter today.

The two sides have more or less played themselves into a stalemate in the first half. Both sides have shown their quality, but couldn’t quite make the final ball count. If this is a boxing match, City just about edge it on points, but neither have landed a big blow. Yet.

But hey, let’s celebrate small victories!

Second Half

Salah nearly opens the score and really should’ve squared it to Jota who would’ve had a tap in. However, he decide to shoot and Ederson just managed to tip it past the far post. Unlucky.

City end up getting a goal kick instead of the deserved corner and then go and fucking score from fucking absurd.

VAR: Thank fuck for that. Haaland fouled Fabinho in the build up and the goal was chalked off.

Liverpool have been so, so close to opening up City on the counter. Darwin Nunez’s pace might end up being the decisive factor, if/when his number is called.

Klopp makes a triple sub with twenty minutes to go. Taking off Firmino, Fabinho, and Elliott for Nunez, Henderson, and Carvalho. A big swing with the match in the balance from the manager. Respect.

GOAL! MO SALAH OPENS UP SCORING AFTER A DEFENSIVE ERROR LET’S HIM RUN THROUGH FREE ON GOAL!!! AND IT’S AN ASSIST FOR ALISSON!!!

RED CARD! Klopp gets a red card for...something he said to the ref, obviously! He was understandably unhappy with a foul on Salah going the other way, and got sent as a result. However, he had a sly look on his face, knowing that the stop in action could only benefit his side in the closing minutes.

Liverpool make a final sub in the last minute of regulation, bringing goalscorer Salah off for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Six LONG minutes of added time.

Jota goes down with a possible injury, possibly a hamstring injury. He’s been so good today, and in this season generally. Jota comes off for Tsimikas, for what should be the final seconds of today’s clash.

Final Thoughts

Fucking a. After this season, these gang of pricks pull out that result? Whatever, I’ll take it. Hopefully the lads can use this and build some momentum over the coming weeks.

Side note: good things tend to happen when you don’t concede first!