More news, reaction and analysis
That’s it for today’s blog. Thanks for your company and emails – I’ll leave you with David Hytner’s report. Goodnight!
Pep Guardiola’s reaction
It was a tight game, we made a mistake and we lost. [On the disallowed goal] Before the game the referee said to my assistants and to Jurgen Klopp [that he was going to let the game flow]. It was ‘play on, play on, play on’, then after we score a goal, it’s not play on. Okay. This is Anfield.
They are a fantastic team but we had enough chances. We were brave the whole game, we played how we should play – I don’t have complaints or regrets about the performance.
Jurgen Klopp’s reaction
Result: perfect. Performance: really, really good. We defended at an incredibly high level for 99 minutes, and had really good football moments against the best team in the world. We scored one, should have scored more. They had their moments as well. We defended the six-yard box extremely well and tried to block all their crosses.
This was big for us. We know how good they are. We needed to show up and we did. The goal was sensational awareness from Ali, and then outstanding from Mo. [On the red card] It was probably deserved, but you cannot not whistle in that situation. I don’t know what Mo Salah has to do to get a free-kick.
Pep and I agreed on the touchline that we didn’t understand the challenges that the referee was allowing. Both sides. Why would you that? Let’s just play football. But we just have to take it, we have no power, and in that moment something switched [in my head] – I’m not proud of that. It’s the clearest foul I ever saw, in front of the linesman, and he says play on.
[On City’s goal] The referee only watched Haaland pull Fabinho, but Ali had a hand on the ball [when Haaland challenged him]. It’s unbelievable.
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Guardiola on the disallowed goal: "This is Anfield." pic.twitter.com/cfBex3Ti6m
— Andy Hampson (@andyhampson) October 16, 2022
Bernardo Silva’s reaction
[On the disallowed goal] What we expect from the referees is consistency. When you decide not to whistle for little contacts the whole game, you need to keep going that way. If you want to whistle all of them, whistle all of them. Throughout the game he was letting things go – which is good – then if there is a goal you cannot whistle for a soft foul. You have to make the tough decision and keep the goal, in my opinion.
🗣️ "What we expect from referees is consistency" 😤
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 16, 2022
Bernardo Silva on Manchester City's disallowed goal. pic.twitter.com/hx10C9FoWH
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Roy Keane’s verdict on the disallowed goal
It’s a physical game. Fabinho goes round kicking everybody anyway.
David Hytner’s match report
Post-match reaction
Mo Salah
“City are always hard to play against because they dominate the game, they keep the ball as long as they can. The most important thing is three points – it’s just one game and we need to carry on. But hopefully it will give us more confidence. I don’t worry if I’m missing chances, I worry more if I don’t get them. When I missed the first chance I was calm because I knew another one would come.”
Virgil van Dijk
“It was always gonna be very intense. We did very well defensively and it’s important to get the clean sheet. [The atmosphere] started with the hard work we put in on the pitch. That’s the minimum that is expected at this beautiful football club. We showed that, and then the crowd gave us the energy to hold on to our 1-0 lead. They played a big part.”
"We need to carry on!" 💪
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 16, 2022
Mo Salah reacts to Liverpool's 1-0 win over Manchester City. pic.twitter.com/7Kh9fW0d4a
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“What a game,” says Matt Dony. “Both teams played so well. And Milner? I apologise for doubting him. I had thought this year was a season too far, and I even had Neville v West Brom fears for him today. But he was outstanding. Get in!”
For all that, City will feel they were robbed. Phil Foden’s goal was ruled out for a softish foul by Erling Haaland on Fabinho, and Pep Guardiola made it very clear that he thought it was another Anfieldish decision. You can argue it both ways, and that’s exactly what Twitter’s finest are doing right now.
A word for James Milner. A year ago he had a stinker at right-back against City; today he had a stormer. Joe Gomez was equally good – Gary Neville gave him the player of the match award on Sky – and Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were back to their best.
It’s City’s first league defeat since February, and their first away from home since the opening day of last season. They are still 10 points ahead of Liverpool, who have a game in hand, but they are now four behind the leaders Arsenal.
That was just a fantastic game of football. It had almost everything: aggro, skill, courage, a wonderful save, controversy, near misses, comedy petulance, fascinating tactics, a glorious winning goal from Mo Salah – and, most importantly of all, the kind of relentless intensity you only get when two truly great teams are engaged in a longstanding rivalry.
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Full time: Liverpool 1-0 Man City
That’s it! Liverpool have won a minor classic at Anfield.
90+9 min Kostas Tsimikas replaces Jota.
90+9 min It looks like he’s pulled his hamstring. The Liverpool injuries are racking up, though that’s a problem for tomorrow.
90+8 min I thought Jota had cramp but it might be more serious. He’s still lying on his back, and they’ve called for a stretcher.
90+7 min Jota is down with cramp, so there will be even more time added on.
90+6 min Nunez misses a one on one – I thought he was offside but the flag didn’t go up – and City play on with a Liverpool player down. De Bruyne’s is missed by Haaland and headed up in the air by Gomez. Alisson claims. That looked like a chance for Haaland.
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90+5 min A poor ball from Ake goes behind for a goalkick. Liverpool are 90 seconds away from a famous victory.
90+4 min Foden flashes a wicked ball right across the six-yard box. That was crying out for someone to roof it on the volley.
90+2 min Nunez roasts Akanji on the left and moves into the area. This time he does get his head up and fires a low cross towards Alexander-Arnold beyond the far post. It’s slightly too heavy, and Alexander-Arnold can only put it wide on the stretch.
90+2 min Alexander-Arnold is playing right midfield, with Milner still at right-back.
90+1 min Jota is booked for fouling Cancelo. There will be, gulp, six minutes of added time.
90 min Liverpool bring on Trent Alexander-Arnold for the outstanding Mo Salah.
90 min City bring on Julian Alvarez for Ilkay Gundogan.
89 min De Bruyne’s cross is cut out at the near post by van Dijk, who has quietly had an excellent game.
88 min “After Nunez missed his strike the cameras caught Klopp yelling ‘keep going, keep going’,” says Mary Waltz. “No parking the bus for Klopp. Just thrilling football this is, am I right?”
It is wonderful.
87 min: What a chance for Liverpool! Another mistake from Cancelo leaves Liverpool with a three-on-one attack, Nunez on the ball 20 yards from goal. He has Salah in acres to his right, but he goes alone and his shot is blocked. That was terrible play from Nunez.
86 min Klopp was angry, rightly I think, that Bernardo Silva wasn’t penalised for a foul on Salah. He was straight in the assistant referee’s ear, and the referee sent him off.
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Jurgen Klopp is sent off!
Now Bernardo Silva has put hands on Salah and van Dijk. This is getting very lively.
84 min Thiago is booked for a poor tackle on Rodri. He basically ran Rodri over, though in his defence he slipped as he was about to make the tackle. His apology to Rodri looks sincere.
84 min Gundogan takes a short corner, gets it back and drives a cross-shot that is comfortably saved by Alisson.
84 min Here’s that brilliant goal from Mo Salah.
A HUGE GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL!
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 16, 2022
Mohamed Salah with the goal ⚽ pic.twitter.com/8Oab0vebHx
83 min In the last ten minutes, which includes the Salah goal, City have had 91 per cent of the possession.
82 min: Great defending from van Dijk! Rodri arrows a wonderful pass over the top to find Cancelo in the area. He cushions a volley back across towards Haaland, six yards out, but van Dijk nips in front to head over his own crossbar.
81 min “A Salah goal has been in the air,” says Colum Fordham. “He’s been galvanised by the hurricane hat-trick against Rangers and looks like the Mo we know. He’s been sharp and incisive all match, including that wonderful cross for Jota with the outside of his left foot.”
He’s also shown that you don’t need to tackle or kick people to be a leader.
80 min The atmosphere at Anfield is incredible. I bet it’s quite good in the Highbury Barn, too: as things stand, Arsenal are four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
79 min Akanji is booked for taking out Nunez. City are in danger of losing the head.
78 min Nunez rampages to within 25 yards of goal and curls a few yards wide of the right-hand post.
Alisson collected a City free-kick and booted the ball straight downfield, where Salah was one v one with Cancelo, 45 yards from goal. For some reason Cancelo dived in, and Salah rolled him ingeniously before charging through on goal. He got to the edge of the area, opened his body and curled the ball over Ederson’s right shoulder. It’s a brilliant, nerveless finish, and the turn past Cancelo was a little bit of genius. It was also awful defending from Cancelo.
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GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Man City (Salah 76)
The magnificent Mo Salah has given Liverpool the lead – with the assist from Alisson!
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73 min Foden’s cross is too high for Haaland. Liverpool make a triple change: Jordan Henderson, Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho replace Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and the superb Harvey Elliott.
Salah’s number went up on the board but it must have been a mistake.
69 min Firmino plays a simple pass to Salah in the inside-right channel. He’s one v one with Dias, exactly where he wants the defender. Salah moves into the area, cuts inside and slides a shot a few yards wide of the far post.
69 min Salah, who has been fantastic, leads another Liverpool break and finds Jota on the left side of the box – but he loses his balance and runs past the ball. That was a chance.
City counter the counter. Gundogan’s shot is blocked by van Dijk and then Bernardo drives wide from 20 yards.
68 min Gundogan’s corner is headed wide by Dias. It wasn’t much of a chance.
67 min City are really dominating possession now. According to a graphic on Sky Sports, Liverpool have made only 37 successful passes since half time. But they’ve also had two great chances in that time.
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66 min Apparently, when he lost the noggin after Foden’s disallowed goal, Guardiola was shouting, “This is Anfield.” Magnificent stuff.
64 min: Good save from Alisson! Haaland combines neatly with Gundogan, then digs out a left-footed shot from about 17 yards. Alisson gets down smartly to his right to keep it out. Haaland didn’t connect as well as he would have liked.
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63 min Fabinho is booked for fouling Gundogan.
62 min “VAR will be introduced in Scotland on Friday, Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Can’t wait.”
That’ll work well in Old Firm derbies.
61 min Jota’s cross is missed by Dias, but Elliott can’t control an awkward ball at the far post. Eventually he gets a shot away that is deflected behind for a corner.
60 min Here’s that marvellous save from Ederson, which feels an age ago.
WHAT A SAVE! 🤯
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 16, 2022
Ederson pulls off an incredible save to deny Mohamed Salah 👏 pic.twitter.com/74TES1lBC3
59 min The corner leads to a game of head tennis until Rodri has a snapshot blocked by … Haaland.
58 min Gundogan whistles a half-volley from the edge of the area that hits Milner and goes behind for a corner. This is wonderful!
58 min The gloves are well and truly off now. Foden crosses beyond the far post to De Bruyne, who kills it effortlessly and tries to pick out Haaland in the middle. Fabinho intercepts.
56 min: Jota misses a great chance! This is pulsating stuff. Liverpool almost score again on the break. Salah stabs a wonderful cross towards the unmarked Jota beyond the far post, but he heads wide on the stretch. He’s normally so good in the air, and that was a terrific opportunity.
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NO GOAL! Liverpool 0-0 Man City
Pep Guardiola is smiling sarcastically, waving his hands in disgust. I think it probably was a foul – he grabbed Fabinho’s shirt and pulled him over – but whether it was a clear and obvious error is another matter. You can argue it either way.
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VAR check Pep Guardiola screams at Anthony Taylor as he walks towards the monitor. Taylor is actually checking an earlier potential foul by Haaland, who pulled Fabinho’s shirt.
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De Bruyne played a through pass towards Haaland. Alisson dived at his feet to save, with the ball rolling loose to Foden. He slammed it into the net via Gomez.
GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Man City (Foden 54)
The Anfield specialist Phil Foden scores again, but this will be checked by VAR for a foul by Haaland on Alisson.
52 min Ederson is still down, having collided with Salah while making that save. He’s on his feet now, limping but keen to continue. Ruben Dias is talking the goalkick though.
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50 min: Wonderful save from Ederson! A fantastic chance for Liverpool on the break. Firmino sliced City open with a lovely first-time pass into the space behind the defence. Salah, who ran from inside his own half and was therefore onside, scooted to the edge of the area, opened his body and sidefooted a shot that rolled this far wide of the left-hand post. A goalkick was given, but replays confirmed that Ederson, diving to his right, made a quite outstanding save.
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49 min It’s been a cagey start to the second half; nothing much to report.
48 min “Considering the opposition I don’t think Liverpool could have a better half of play despite not scoring,” says Mary Waltz. “But it just feels inevitable that the Great Blond Shark will strike and chew up the Reds.”
47 min It looks like Gundogan and Bernardo Silva have swapped positions. So Gundogan is deeper, alongside Rodri, and Bernardo is closer to Haaland and Foden.
46 min Thiago goes down after being shouldered in the face by Rodri. He’s fine.
46 min Peep peep! Liverpool begin the second half. No changes on either side.
“Wild tactics by Pep,” says Cian McMahon. “Towards the end of the first half, Lee Dixon (on NBC in America) asked viewers to please send him a note explaining what position Bernardo Silva is playing.”
I think it’s a box midfield. Rodri and Bernardo, then De Bruyne and Gundogan.
What a chance for Erling Haaland 😱
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 16, 2022
Kevin De Bruyne picks out the forward but he couldn't beat Alisson pic.twitter.com/NxPkh1oyDo
“Who knew,” says Yash Gupta, “that James Milner would be the answer to England’s right-back conundrum.”
“Obviously, it could all go up in smoke with one City move,” weeps Matt Dony, “but this has been a much better, much more heartening game than I ever expected. I’ve almost enjoyed the first half!”
“Both De Bruyne and Pep were absolutely fuming at Rodri for the momentary lapse of failing to spot De Bruyne was in a bit of space for a split second,” says Phil Podolsky. “These guys are intense.”
Pep Guardiola in bullying shocker.
Half time: Liverpool 0-0 Manchester City
A high-class, high-intensity half ends all square. Erling Haaland has three half-to-three-quarter-chances for City, while Andy Robertson sprayed Liverpool’s best opportunity over the bar. For the neutral, it’s been a pleasure.
45+1 min City break and Cancelo drives a cross-shot that is blocked by Robertson.
45 min One added minute. Elliott finds the underlapping Fabinho in space on the right side of the area, but his cutback is straight at Rodri.
43 min The first half has flown by. It hasn’t actually been that eventful, but it has been thoroughly compelling.
40 min: Another chance for Haaland! De Bruyne moves smoothly through the inside-right channel and lofts a beautiful cross beyond the far post. Haaland hangs in the air for an age but can only plant a downward header straight into Alisson’s arms. He’s had three chances now – none clear-cut but all pretty decent, especially for him.
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39 min Robertson, who is on one, wins another corner down the left. Milner takes it and Dias heads clear with authority.
38 min The corner brushes a City head in the middle and comes to Jota beyond the far post. He tees up Elliott, whose shot from the edge of the area is blocked by… Jota.
38 min Elliott plays a clever pass into Robertson in the area. Rodri tracks him well and concedes a corner.
36 min De Bruyne’s dangerous low cross is put behind desperately by the sliding Robertson. This is a really good spell for City.
35 min: Chance for Haaland! Liverpool thought there was a foul in the build up, and Jurgen Klopp is raging! Play continued and Bernardo’s cross was headed to the edge of the area by van Dijk. De Bruyne controleld the ball on the chest and hooked it towards Haaland, who headed over from eight yards.He couldn’t quite get over the ball. I suspect, had he scored, it would have been disallowed by VAR because of a foul by Rodri on Salah.
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34 min Bernardo finds Foden down the left, and Gomez charges across to make an emphatic man-and-ball tackle. The crowd loved that.
33 min: Alisson denies Haaland! The first chance for the big man. Gundogan slid a good pass down the inside-left channel, where Haaland zoomed away from Gomez. Alisson started to come, then stopped, but he was able to push away Haaland’s chip.
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30 min After a dangerous move involving Haaland and Foden, Bernardo Silva spanks over the bar from 25 yards. Haaland had a chance to shoot from the edge of the area earlier in the move but instead tried to play in Foden.
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29 min A very deep cross from Foden is headed back across goal, into the six-yard box, by Cancelo. Van Dijk nods it clear.
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27 min Salah gets the wrong side of Dias and stabs a selfless pass across the field to Elliott. He tries to twist past Ake in the area but is calmly dispossessed. Elliott, who has started well, was unusually indecisive there.
26 min This is a decent spell for Liverpool, who are starting to move the ball around with more confidence. In fact, in the last 10 minutes they’ve had 70 per cent of the possession.
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24 min: Chance for Liverpool! Milner’s superb cross is pushed away by the diving Ederson, with Firmino waiting behind him to score. The ball bounces towards Robertson, who spanks a half-volley over the bar from 12 yards.
That pass from Virgil van Dijk 🔥
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 16, 2022
Andy Robertson fails to control his shot as Liverpool look for the opener pic.twitter.com/Ll811I9WTo
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22 min So far so good for James Milner, who has been almost flawless at right-back.
21 min… which De Bruyne hards clear at the near post. Liverpool keep the ball alive, with Elliott teasing a cross towards the far post. Jota gets up well, 10 yards from goal, but can only head straight at Ederson. He had to generate the power himself, but it was still half a bad chance.
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20 min Salah, who scored a glorious solo goal in this game last season, scurries away from Ake and then tries to zig-zag past Dias in the area. Dias stays on his feet and knocks the ball behind for a corner…
20 min De Bruyne’s pass releases Cancelo on the right. His cross is chested down beautifully by Gundogan towards Foden, but the diligent Elliott ensures Foden doesn’t have scope for a shot.
17 min Robertson’s deep cross is well defended by Ake, who heads away under pressure from Firmino.
16 min De Bruyne’s through ball is slightly too heavy for Haaland, who can’t control it on the stretch.
I think these are the formations, but it’s all very fluid, City in particular.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Alisson; Milner, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Thiago; Elliott, Firmino, Jota; Salah.
Manchester City (3-2-4-1) Ederson, Akanji, Dias, Ake; Rodri, Bernardo; Cancelo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Foden; Haaland.
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15 min Foden stays down after an aerial challenge with Milner. Liverpool play on, and then so do City after winning the ball back. Haaland has a shot from the edge of the area blocked before Gundogan’s bobbling long-ranger is held by Alisson.
Foden is on his feet now.
14 min “Don’t be too hard on yourself,” says Simon McMahon. “Your tactical assessment and insight is a damn sight better than mine, which amounts to ‘why aren’t City playing in blue?’”
13 min Arsenal have held on to beat Leeds 1-0, though there was an extraordinary VAR intervention in added time. Read all about it.
9 min City are starting to settle into their passing groove. Liverpool are happy enough to play on the break.
7 min I have no idea what formation City are playing. Both Bernardo Silva and Gundogan are playing to the left of Rodri, which is unusual. At times it looks like a back three, but I’ve no idea who the left wing-back is supposed to be. Foden is the closest but he’s playing very high up the field.
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5 min Foden feeds the ball into Haaland on the edge of the area. He takes a touch and is about to shoot where Jota wraps a leg round and makes a good tackle.
4 min It’s been a bitty, slightly tetchy start. Liverpool’s shape looks like 4-2-3-1, with Salah up front, Firmino behind, Jota to the left and Elliott to the right. City’s shape is also different, with De Bruyne playing on the right wing at the moment.
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3 min Bernardo fouls Robertson, who responds with a bit of a shove. More spice please!
2 min James Milner is playing right-back for Liverpool. City have Nathan Ake at left-back and Joao Cancelo on the right.
1 min Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep peeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Erling Haaland gets this mighty match under way.
Here come the players. There’s a cracking atmosphere at Anfield. And for all their struggles this season, Liverpool haven’t lost a Premier League game at home since March 2021.
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And here’s Pep
It’s Liverpool. These types of games, the position in the table doesn’t matter. I don’t need to tell the players, they know [how good Liverpool are]. We need a brilliant performance – be aggressive in terms of the duels and the long balls, and impose our game. The team that imposed their style will be closer to winning.
🗣️ "They know it, I don't have to tell them..."
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 16, 2022
Pep Guardiola insists the Manchester City players are fully focused ahead of their Super Sunday clash with Liverpool pic.twitter.com/AhJBGpiUZt
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“I’d disagree with you that Fabinho was great during the COVID season,” says Graeme Neill. “It’s only when Klopp played actual CBs in that position that Liverpool turned things round. And Fabinho is bang out of form. And Gomez at right back again puts the fear of God in me.
“While I’m complaining, you would think the fact 58-year-old James Milner is in the starting lineup would shut up the ‘YES, BUT LOLZERPOOL HAS ALSO SPENT MONEY! 1!1!1!1’ types that argue Liverpool are in the same financial league as City and Newcastle. But it won’t.”
I really wouldn’t worry about what Twitter’s finest have to say about anything.
Jurgen Klopp's pre-match thoughts
We need to play a really good game. Be ready to suffer, but in your moments, cause them problems as well. Be brave, be bright, lively.
[On stopping Beast] It’s the oldest news in football: it’s always collective. It’s just that pundits pick out individuals. It will be interesting to watch.
How will Liverpool stop Erling Haaland? 🤔
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 16, 2022
Jurgen Klopp is excited for the challenge pic.twitter.com/SiHL0WnZxV
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Full-time scores
Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea
Man Utd 0-0 Newcastle
Southampton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal lead 1-0 at Elland Road in a game that was delayed by around half an hour because of a power failure.
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“Diogo Jota’s return hasn’t garnered too much interest, but he brings something different,” says Matt Dony. “And he’s pleasingly spiky. Little bit of aggro with the City defence wouldn’t go amiss. That’s as positive as I can be, though. I’m expecting an away win. I can’t put into words how much I love Milner, but this feels like bad news.”
He’s on the bench
Liverpool’s tactics There are suggestions that Fabinho will play at centre-back, where he excelled during the Covid season. That would allow Joe Gomez to play at right-back and James Milner in midfield. But if that’s the case, why play Milner ahead of Jordan Henderson?
We’ll find out soon enough.
Barney Ronay on Liverpool
There’s plenty going on in the 2pm games. Get the latest news with Daniel Harris.
Team news
James Milner, who was roasted by Phil Foden in this fixture last season, will again play as an emergency right-back for Liverpool. Joe Gomez moves infield to cover for the injured Ibrahima Konate. Darwin Nunez, Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are on the bench, and it looks like Jurgen Klopp has reverted to 4-1-2-3/4-3-3.
No big surprises in the City side. Ilkay Gundogan is preferred to Jack Grealish, which should mean Bernardo Silva moves into the front three.
Liverpool (4-1-2-3) Alisson; Milner, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho; Elliott, Thiago; Salah, Firmino, Jota.
Substitutes: Kelleher, Henderson, Jones, Tsimikas, Nunez, Carvalho, Bajcetic, Phillips, Alexander-Arnold
Manchester City (4-1-2-3) Ederson, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Cancelo; Rodri; De Bruyne, Gundogan; Bernardo, Haaland, Foden.
Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Grealish, Alvarez, Gomez, Laporte, Mahrez, Palmer, Lewis, Wilson-Esbrand.
Referee Anthony Taylor.
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Preamble
Hello, good afternoon and welcome. The last time Liverpool played Manchester City in the Premier League, it was both a title decider and - or so we thought - a dress rehearsal for the ultimate Champions League final. Today it’s 12th v 2nd, but it’s still the best game in English football, maybe world football.
Liverpool’s peculiar start to the season gives today’s game a different hue. It’s about pride as much as points, certainly for Liverpool. They want to show they are still relevant, still the toughest opponent Pep Guardiola has ever faced. But if City win and go 16 points clear of Liverpool, many folk will tell you that the rivalry is a thing of the past.
City have a desperate record at Anfield, with just one win since 2003. But those games were all Before Beast. Erling Haaland’s battle with Virgil van Dijk, imperious but out of form, adds another layer of intrigue to an already mouthwatering game. It’s less than three months since Liverpool overpowered City in the Community Shield and Haaland had a minor stinker. A lot has changed since then.
Kick off 4.30pm.
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