A thrilling encounter in the English Premier League’s new great rivalry

This thrilling encounter ended honours even but the honours, the Premier League title, look even more destined for Manchester City.

Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo weaves past Mohamed Salah of Liverpool

This thrilling encounter ended honours even but the honours, the Premier League title, look even more destined for Manchester City. One moment — of many in this 2-2 draw — here at a raucous Etihad showed why City will again make worthy champions if they hold their nerve and their lead in the race with Liverpool to the line.

That moment came midway through the second half when Joao Cancelo decided to dribble out of danger; the City left back could have laid the ball off, but he believed in his own technique and knew he had the belief of his manager, Pep Guardiola.

Cancelo started by weaving past Mohamed Salah, a contender for Footballer of the Year, and then steering the ball past Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s hard-pressing captain. Cancelo went past Salah again and the Egyptian pulled him back almost apologetically. Liverpool resorted to a fair few professional fouls and not all of the offences were picked up by referee Anthony Taylor or his assistants.

Liverpool’s resilience kept them in the game, as did the prolific nature of their attack with Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane both equalising, but City were the better side. Kevin De Bruyne was the most accomplished, dynamic and eye-catching player on the field, scoring and creating, setting the tone for City’s relentless press by sprinting from midfield to hound Alisson, scarcely had Taylor’s first whistle sounded. Gabriel Jesus was not far behind De Bruyne in his influence, especially in giving Andy Robertson an uncomfortable afternoon. Cancelo had an assist and a decent game against Salah.

City went unstintingly for the win here and should have won it in the final seconds, but Riyad Mahrez eschewed the easy option of passing to the unmarked De Bruyne and decided to lob Alisson only to put the ball over the crossbar. Cancelo’s dribble embodied Guardiola’s approach and City’s desire to hunt down all the points, but the draw suits City more than Liverpool, keeping them a point clear and with the more negotiable run-in.

The real winners were a packed Etihad and a huge global audience who were treated to a magnificent Premier League match full of touches of class such as Cancelo’s slalom. The Portuguese has to be in the running for some of the season’s individual awards. He would probably already be looking at a title winner’s medal had City a more clinical attack.

City kept creating chances, even as early as the third minute when Raheem Sterling placed his shot too close to Alisson but lacked the finish beyond the goals from De Bruyne and Jesus. Put any of Salah, Diogo Jota and Mane in City’s frontline and the title race would be over. Put Harry Kane in that light-blue livery and the Premier League trophy would definitely be staying in Pep’s palace. Pursued by City pre-season, Kane could still decide the title in Guardiola’s favour when Tottenham Hotspur travel to Anfield on May 7. Put Erling Haaland in City’s attack next season, the fans will plead.

Guardiola did start Jesus at No.9, but he was out on the right, starting ahead of Mahrez, and targeting the space behind Robertson. Brimming with pace and intensity, Guardiola’s players tore into Liverpool, doing to the visiting team what Jurgen Klopp’s side so often do to others. They needed all their resilience to emerge with a point because City harried Liverpool, pressing them, pushing them back and even Virgil van Dijk looked uncomfortable at times in the first half.

Quick pressing, quick free kicks and quick transition, City’s speed of thought and movement brought them the lead after six minutes. Fabinho fouled Rodri and Bernardo Silva touched the dead ball to De Bruyne. The Belgian let fly with his left foot, the ball deviating off Joel Matip, hitting a post and falling across the line. Blue smoke from a flare drifted across the pitch. The blue touchpaper had been lit.

Red plumes filled the air within six minutes. Trent Alexander-Arnold squared to Salah, who tried to dink the ball towards Mane. John Stones intervened, Silva tried to complete the clearance but gifted the ball to Robertson.

He lifted it to the far post where Alexander-Arnold cut it back cleverly for Jota to slide his shot under Ederson. Stones was on the line and looked briefly at his goalkeeper, who was beaten far too easily.

Liverpool celebrations highlighted a few issues with segregation inside the Etihad. Now a red flare filled the air.

The tempo briefly slowed, allowing everyone to catch their breath and marvel at the special fare on show. This is one of the great English rivalries of the modern era, lacking the edge and drama of the Manchester United v Arsenal, Roy Keane v Patrick Vieira vintage, but exceptional in terms of pure technical and tactical quality. Historically, the greatest rivalry in English football is between United and Liverpool, although United have plenty of rebuilding before reviving that.

This new rivalry, developed over recent years, and defined by the inspiring influence of Guardiola and Klopp, is reflected in the remarkable statistic that since the start of the 2018-19 season, City have now amassed 339 points to Liverpool’s 338. The next closest, Chelsea, are a distant 267.

City looked more at ease, Liverpool made nervous by the pressing of Jesus, Sterling and company. As Liverpool fans taunted their hosts with, “Where’s your European Cup?”, City deservedly reclaimed the lead after 36 minutes, and rightly it was the energetic Jesus.

When Matip headed out from a corner, Liverpool pushed up. Cancelo, knowing the need for speed, drilled the ball back in and Jesus exploited Alexander-Arnold not stepping up quickly enough. He met it on the rise, sending it in off the bar for his first goal in 16 league appearances.

Klopp had words at the break, telling his players they needed greater concentration against such elite opponents. Liverpool re-emerged far sharper, with Henderson and Thiago Alcantara pushing further up the field and Fabinho holding in a 4-1-4-1 formation.

The title was on the line. They had to respond. It’s in their mindset under Klopp. They trailed City by 14 points on January 15, although they did have two matches in hand and powered their way back into contention. They appear to have the tougher run-in, including Manchester United, Everton and Kane’s Spurs at home and Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa away.

City’s gentler gallop to the line involves such challenges as Leeds United and West Ham United away. Gerrard takes Villa to the Etihad on the final day of the season — and he always wanted to win the title for Liverpool.

Klopp’s “mentality monsters” fought back here to stay in the race. Klopp was out before his players after the break, eschewing any personnel changes, simply backing his starting XI to sort out the problems.

They needed only 47 seconds. Alexander-Arnold appeared to be turning back when he suddenly swivelled and stroked the ball in to Salah, whose response was majestic, placing his pass left-footed behind Kyle Walker for Mane to sweep the ball past Ederson from 10 yards.

City responded. They invariably do. Sterling beat Alisson with a low finish, but was judged offside by VAR on the tightest of margins.

Taylor tried to play advantage frequently, letting the game flow, allowing one lengthy City move to develop before going back and booking Alcantara for taking out De Bruyne what seemed a lifetime ago. Alcantara then poleaxed De Bruyne again, but somehow escaped a second yellow. Even Van Dijk tripped the exceptional De Bruyne.

The watching world needs wait only until the weekend for another epic encounter, this time at Wembley. The two great heavyweights will slug it out for the right to reach the FA Cup final. And they could also meet in the Champions League. The new great rivalry continues.

The Times