Man City 1-1 Liverpool: Post-match reaction
Our reporter Michael Plant gives his post-match reaction from outside the Etihad as Manchester City draw with Liverpool.
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00:00 Hello, it's Mike Plant coming to you from outside the Etihad Stadium. We're about two hours after today's Premier League game between Manchester City and Liverpool.
00:10 Of course, a game that ended 1-1. A result that I don't think either team will be disappointed with as such.
00:17 That was certainly the reaction of both managers after the game, both Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, talking about the immense respect they have for the other side
00:24 and how difficult it is to take points off the other one. For that reason, they both seem relatively happy with their performances.
00:33 If at the same time, they weren't perhaps at their best either side today. I thought it was a game that City started well for the first half.
00:42 Certainly, they were the better team, created the most chances, had more control of the play.
00:46 Liverpool, certainly towards the end of the second half, started off on a bit of a threat but by and large, it was all really City.
00:52 He did get that opening goal through, of course, Erling Haaland. Some lacks Liverpool defended.
00:57 Actually, a mistake from Alisson, something that's rarely said but he had a bit of an off day today.
01:02 A couple of incidents where he didn't look at his best and actually Klopp revealed after the match that he was carrying a bit of an injury,
01:08 which would perhaps explain why he wasn't at his best levels. But a mistake from Alisson, this point kicked out Nathan Ake.
01:14 He latched onto the ball and he delivered it to Haaland, who smashed home.
01:18 Then in the second half, I think City took the foot off the pedal a little bit. I think they allied Liverpool back into the game.
01:23 I don't think Liverpool were particularly great, I'd say, even Trent Alexander-Arnold after the match.
01:27 He said that himself. Liverpool, I think they were pleased with how they competed with City.
01:32 It's a long time since someone's came to the Addy Hat and came away with anything other than a defeat.
01:36 I think they were pleased in that sense but they did get back into it.
01:39 But it really felt, for me, more a case of City taking the foot off the pedal, as I say, and allowing Liverpool back into the match.
01:46 City didn't really create too many chances in the second half. They were all kind of half chances more than anything.
01:54 Although there were quite a few. But then, I think the interesting thing was that with 20 minutes left, Ruben Dias scored for City.
02:02 It was disallowed. It's because Manuela Kanji barged into Alisson in goal. It felt harsh to me at the time, looking at it.
02:10 But it was one of those that, when you look back as well, you can maybe understand that when the referee's given it, why it's not overturned by VAR.
02:17 That was certainly my thought process with it. I think it should have stood but I also couldn't understand why VAR didn't overrule the referee's initial decision.
02:25 And then, with 10 minutes left, City had a great chance through Erling Haaland, who shot. Actually, Alisson did really well to come out and save the shot from a narrow angle.
02:34 Liverpool went right down the other end and immediately scored to make it 1-1. So you talk about a game changing in an instant.
02:41 Liverpool could have gone 2-0 down and suddenly were level. Great goal from Charmed Alexander-Arnold who ran over to the City fans and celebrated in front of them.
02:49 They did not like that one bit. And that was it really. Erling Haaland had a good chance later on. He had a flash just wide.
02:56 Pep Guardiola saying off would have been a couple of inches to the left. Someone could have knocked it in. A couple of inches to the right. Someone else could have knocked it in.
03:02 But I think, as I say, ultimately 1-1. A game that no one is overly enthusiastic with but at the same time no one is disappointed with.
03:10 That result does actually bring 2-0 down City's winning run at home. They had before today won 23 in a row in all competitions.
03:19 That record is over now. 24 actually was the record in English football set by Sunderland in the 1800s.
03:26 So long that record stood. City will have to go again. It would be a difficult record to beat.
03:31 That's the first time in 2023 that they haven't won a home game at the Etihad. An absolutely incredible record really when you think about it.
03:40 It's a result that leaves City top. Liverpool second obviously as was the case before they came into this game.
03:45 But if Arsenal win tonight against Brentford then they can go top. There's an interesting title race starting to form.
03:51 Villa and Spurs also playing Sunday as well. They can close the gap a little bit to the top side if either of them win.
03:56 So we're getting a bit of an interesting title race. It's still very early in the season. Only a third of the way through.
04:01 But certainly can be some early encouraging signs really.
04:04 And then I think the only other thing to mention from a City perspective is that a bit of a mixed bag in terms of injury news today.
04:10 I mentioned Haaland was there, Ederson played but not involved were Mateo Kovacic and Mateus Nunes.
04:16 A bit of a blow. Not particularly vital or important players as such but still important to have numbers at this time of the season.
04:22 So many injuries at the moment for so many sides.
04:26 So disappointing from a City perspective they weren't involved.
04:28 But John Stones is back in the bench which is really encouraging as well.
04:31 So they will... yeah I don't think he's going to be involved properly in the team for a couple of weeks.
04:39 But he was back nearer than the squad anyway today.
04:43 And finally Jack Release wasn't involved. Illness kept him out today.
04:46 Doesn't seem like a serious problem and we think he's going to be involved either on Tuesday against Leipzig or next weekend against Spurs in the Premier League.
04:56 But as I say a good day for City, not a great day, not a terrible day.
05:00 Somewhere in the middle really.
05:02 But for me, Michael Plant, welcome back from the Etihad Stadium. Thank you very much for watching.