Drama in what may be the final act: Team manager Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool FC fought a duel without a winner with Pep Guardiola and lost the top position with Liverpool FC in the English Premier League. The Reds drew 1-1 (0-1) with Manchester City and are now in second place behind Arsenal, City is third.
Klopp, who will leave Liverpool in the summer, continues to have a positive record (twelve wins, seven draws, eleven defeats) against the Catalan coach.
In a top-class game in front of 61,276 spectators at Anfield Road, John Stones scored for the Citizens after a corner (23rd). But after keeper Ederson fouled Darwin Nunez, Alexis Mac Allister equalized with a penalty (50th). The City goalkeeper was injured during the action, so German representative Stefan Ortega was substituted on.
Before the duel, Klopp declared that “Pep was the best” for him. And his Citizens played their successful combination game right from the start, especially alongside Reds right-back Conor Bradley, who was always well advanced.
Alvarez tested Alisson representative Caoimhin Kelleher (3rd), Kevin de Bruyne missed the lead twice. Then came the hosts: Darwin Nunez, who was highly praised by Klopp, was wanted, but City’s offside trap worked brilliantly. Also with Nunez’s supposed assist for Luis Diaz’s opening goal (19th).
Liverpool misses out on several great opportunities
In the middle of Liverpool’s pressure phase, de Bruyne surprised Virgil van Dijk’s defense team with a corner at the near post – and Stones scored from close range. Egged on by the loud fans, Klopp’s team fought back. Dominik Szoboszlai headed over from six meters (31′), and Diaz also missed a low shot by just a few centimeters (42′).
Immediately after the break it became loud in the stadium: Nunez directed a catastrophic back pass from Nathan Ake past Ederson (47th), who hit the Uruguayan. Mac Allister kept his cool. Ederson representative Ortega saw Diaz coming towards him several times, but the Reds attacker missed from high-profile positions.
Klopp’s team launched an attack with support from substitute Mohamed Salah. Phil Foden (73′) hit the crossbar on the other side, but also used his hand to help. In the final phase an open game developed.