The KippaxBlue View:-
Liverpool 2 - 3 FA Cup
A surprising game of two halves with Liverpool first going three up in the first half. Then City came back with a bang and almost leveled the scores in extra time.
It was a much changed City side following the battle in Spain. Steffen alas came in for Ederson and with Walker off injured Zinchenko came in and Axe moved to central defence in place of Laporte. Fernandinho was skipper replacing Rodri and we had Jesus, Foden Sterling and Grealish up front. Kevin De Bruyne was on the bench as was Mahrez.
After just three minutes Grealish had a shot which was blocked and then Liverpool put on the pressure forcing a corner after 8 minutes. The height and ability of Konate enabled him to head past Steffen to put Liverpool ahead. Perhaps Ederson might have saved it! City replied with a corner at the other end but little could be seen with all the red smoke from a flare that had been set off. Then real disaster struck 8 minutes later. A simple back pass by Stones to the keeper ended with Steffen failing to control the ball and Mane pounced on the error to easily score and it was two nil to Liverpool.It was a terrible error and it brought into question the City tactic of using the keeper so much when defending.
Even Ederson has been seen to make the odd error! Anyway it was a gift to Liverpool who were strolling to victory as City were hardly in the game at all with a lack of creativity and hardly a good move or key pass.
Just before half time it really looked like game over. A good Liverpool move ended with Mane volleying a first time shot into the bottom corner to make it three nil. Perhaps Ederson would have saved that too!
I bet Pep had something to say at half time and so it was as City started with more punch. A minute or so after the restart Fernandinho made a good pass to Jesus who crossed to a waiting Grealish who whacked the ball home to reduce the arrears. It was a different City in the second half. Both Fernandinho and Mane got yellow cards for different fouls on each other! Then Alisson had to save from Jesus pushing the ball for a corner which alas Foden over hit!
On 82 minutes City got a free kick for a foul on Jesus who was injured and was replaced by Mahrez. We thought Mahrez would take the free kick but alas Sterling put the ball well over the bar.
There was 4 minutes of added time and on 91 minutes Mahrez shot for goal and when the keeper pushed the ball out there was Benardo Silva on the ball to score and make it 2-3. City bombarded the Liverpool goal and alas Sterling failed to beat the keeper with a final effort. The midweek battle with Atletico had really tired several of the players who had retained their places and Foden in particular was well off his best
