Manchester City and Liverpool played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at Anfield yesterday in a result that left Arsenal top of the Premier League with ten games of the season to go. Although neither manager will necessarily be happy with a point, it's a result that leaves them both with a great chance of still winning the Premier League.
The build-up to the match was immense as not only was it a huge game in the title race but it was also Jurgen Klopp's final meeting with Pep Guardiola as Liverpool manager. The Liverpool fans were up for it and Anfield lived up to its hype – something many fans have accused it of failing to do in recent times.
City's record at Anfield is poor with Guaridola's only win at the stadium coming in 2021 when no fans were in the stadium due to the Covid pandemic. However, the Spaniard was quick to play down the club's poor record at Liverpool's home in light of another year without a win there. Speaking after the match, he said:
“I know how difficult Anfield is. But the Etihad is difficult too. Liverpool never won there. People talk about here ‘Anfield, Anfield!' we won here. Never in eight years did they win there. We prove, both sides we are incredible competitors… I'd prefer a win but they have proved for many years the quality they have.”
Pep Guardiola compares second half to a tsunami
Despite insisting that the Etihad Stadium is as difficult a place to go as Anfield, something the stats back up, the Spaniard admitted he felt the game was out of his control in the second half. As Liverpool pushed for the third goal of the game to give them the lead, the noise in Anfield picked up which prompted wave after wave of attack for the home side.
Guardiola said:
“In that stadium, if you have to defend something, you have to play and play and play. We gave away the penalty, and sooner or later with this stadium you have 15 or 20 minutes and it looks like a tsunami, coming for everybody who has the ball.”
📺🌊 Anfield was “like a tsunami!”
Guardiola talks about the second half of #LIVMCI 👇 pic.twitter.com/Zr7iTiilL8
— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) March 10, 2024
In the end, Liverpool failed to capitalise on their pressure and it was City who came closest to finding the winner when Jeremy Doku hit the post in stoppage time. The final result left both fans wondering what might have been while still leaving them comfortable as the season approaches its finale.