NOT OVERPOWER: Trent Alexander-Arnold scores a great equalizer for Liverpool, Mohamed Salah plays excellently but Nunez lacks a bit of luck

Following a 1-1 Premier League tie between Liverpool and Manchester City, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s brilliant finish earned Liverpool a point.

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At Etihad Stadium on Saturday, halfway through an equally matched first forty-five minutes, the Reds trailed to a low shot from Erling Haaland.

With ten minutes remaining, however, Alexander-Arnold brilliantly struck the bottom corner to force a share of the spoils between the teams that had topped the standings at the beginning of the day.

ImageAlexander-Arnold equaliser sees Liverpool draw at Manchester City

Team updates

Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister returned to the center of the pitch as JΓΌrgen Klopp made two changes to his starting lineup in Manchester.

Liverpool: Jones (Gravenberch, 54), Jota (Diaz, 54), Salah, Nunez (Elliott, 84), Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Mac Allister (Endo, 84), Szoboszlai (Gakpo, 73).

Subs not used: Quansah, Konate, Gomez, Kelleher.

first segment

The first opening of the match was caused by an individual mistake, and both teams quickly found their rhythm.

Alisson Becker passed the ball to Phil Foden near the boundary of the box after misjudging a pass out of the back. To make apologies, the City player rushed forward and attempted a low shot that Alisson easily collected.

Darwin Nunez had two early opportunities as the game was getting closer.

Joel Matip first made a darting run down the backside and found Mohamed Salah on the flank with a pass. Ederson gloved away his delivery from the right, which Nunez in the box only glanced on.

A minute later, Ruben Dias got a foot in to pull the ball away as Dominik Szoboszlai took advantage of a gap in space to thread in Nunez, who was crowded out as he lined up a shot.

But City struck back, and on minute 27, following a stretch of sustained pressure, the home team opened the score.

In an attempt to set up Salah for a counterattack, Alisson attempted a short kickout, but Nathan Ake cut it out with a forward pass that allowed Haaland to finish past the goalkeeper and into the bottom right corner.

After Szoboszlai intercepted high up the pitch and supplied the No. 9, Nunez hooked wide from a narrowing angle. Subsequent attempts at both ends failed, with Foden coming closest with a low drive that Alisson turned around the post, leaving it 1-0 at the half.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 25, 2023: Manchester City's Erling Haaland (L) and Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Second segment

After the restart, the match remained evenly balanced, with City creating the opening opportunity of the second half.

Jeremy Doku created space on a breakaway by using the left channel. He then brought the ball back for Julian Alvarez, who arrived but hooked his shot too high.

Following the game, Klopp substituted Luis Diaz and Ryan Gravenberch, with Diogo Jota being one of those who had pulled up and received medical attention.

Nunez was about to score, but Dias reacted quickly to block a naive Szoboszlai cross into the box as Liverpool took the lead.

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After a Rodri blast, City had their handball protests rejected. Later, Dias had the ball in the net, but a VAR review determined that Manuel Akanji had fouled Alisson, causing him to spill.

After Salah’s layup, Ederson stopped Nunez’s near-post shot, and Doku’s set-up at the other end stopped Haaland from close range.

When Alexander-Arnold’s second goal of the afternoon eventually materialized, it was a stunning strike.

Play was patiently worked from left to right by the Reds, and Salah weighted a ball into the No. 66, who controlled it with one touch and fired it into the far corner with another, ensuring that an exciting match ended in a draw. Haaland then just missed a header in the 97th minute.

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